-
Birth of Paul Karl Feyerabend
Born into a middle-class family in Vienna, Feyerabend grew up amidst the hunger and economic crises of a war-torn Austria following World War 1. It is said that Feyerabend was an odd child, being over-protected and socially under-adjusted. He took solace in books and learning at an early age (Preston). During his school-age years, he indulged in the artistic hobbies of theatre and singing. -
Feyerabend is Drafted into Nazi Germany's Arbeitsdienst (work force) and the German Army (March 1942 - Dec 1944)
Feyerabend was drafted into the Nazi workforce and later joined the Nazi German army. He was described as being a "foolhardy" soldier who demonstrated a distinct lack of morality or remorse, treating battles and the war like a theatrical play without true regard as to its seriousness or implications. Despite these missing attributes, he won the Iron Cross Medal for his service in the Nazi Army and led "an infantry battalion, three tanks, and auxiliary troops (Davis).". -
Feyerabend's Mother, Rosa Witz, Commits Suicide
-
Feyerabend Embraces Philosophy after the War (1946-1948)
After the war, Feyerabend was left injured and impotent from a bullet wound in his spine (Preston). Although sickly, he traveled extensively, studying history, theoretical physics, and philosophy. He worked alongside scientific philosopher Karl Popper and Marxist intellectual Walter Hollitscher, espousing a positivist stance, relying on empirical scientific evidence in his search for the truth. This would change under Hollitscher's influence in the years to come to a realist stance (Preston). -
Feyerabend Marries Edeltrud (1st Wife)
-
Feyerabend Receives a Doctorate in Philosophy from University of Vienna
Feyerabend also studied History, Sociology, Physics, Psychology, and Astronomy before finally settling on a doctorate in Philosophy (Parakenings)(Preston). -
Feyerabend Teaches Philosophy (of Quantum Mechanics) at the University of Bristol (1955-1958)
-
Feyerabend Marries Mary O’Neill (2nd Wife)
-
Feyerabend Teaches Philosophy at University of California at Berkeley 1958-1964)
Feyerabend's extraordinary publications and reputation for eccentricity got him this prestigious post where he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Herbert "Feigl, Carl Hempel, Ernest Nagel, Hilary Putnam, Adolf Grünbaum, Grover Maxwell, E.L.Hill, Paul Meehl (Preston)," and Thomas Kuhn, developing his own version of Popper's incommensurability thesis in which he asserted that "there is no objective way of choosing between theories or traditions (Preston)." -
Death of Imre Lakatos
Lakatos and Feyerabend were working together to write a book in which Lakatos would present his arguments for the scientific method and Feyerabend would present his arguments against it. Lakatos died, unexpectedly, before the book could be finished. Feyerabend published his book "Against Method" instead. Publishers have since compiled the collective papers that both philosophers prepared for their incomplete collaborative book for a post-mortem version of the collaboration. -
Feyerabend's Against Method (book) is published (1975)
This is Feyerabend's first book, in which he announces the foundations of his assertions about the fallacies of scientific reasoning. He denounces the scientific community as being too restrictive, likening scientists to religious fanatics who lack creativity and freedom of thought. He asserts here that the only valuable discoveries in science arise from moments of genius, such as those experienced by Einstein and Galileo who dared to challenge the scientific norms of their times (Feyerabend). -
Feyerabend's "Science in a Free Society" book) is published (1978)
Feyerabend received much criticism for the tone implied in his first book, and this second book was a response to its critical reviews. It contains a section entitled "Conversations with Illiterates," in which he asserts that he was largely misunderstood, claiming his sarcasm was mistaken for nastiness (Munécar). His claim that science only justified itself and is not a real measure of truth was received badly, saying in his autobiography "I often wished I had never written that fucking book." -
Feyerabend Teaches Philosophy at the Federal Institute of Technology at Zurich (1980-1991)
Feyerabend is said to have had the happiest years of his life at this time, finally finding a good companion in marriage and contentment in his career in which he split his time between Berkeley and Zurich (Preston). -
Feyerabend Marries Grazia Borrini (4th Wife)
-
Feyerabend's Killing Time Published
'Killing Time" is Feyerabend's autobiography, completed just days before his death. The book is said to be surprisingly humorous and entertaining and contains some very candid anecdotes from Feyerabend on his life experiences. -
Death of Feyerabend due to Brain Tumor
