-
Birth
Feyerabend was born on January 13, 1924 in Vienna, Austria to a civil servant and a seamstress. -
“Explanation, Reduction, and Empiricism”
"This publication criticized existing empiricist accounts of explanation and theoretical reduction...and introduced the concept of incommensurability" (Preston). Preston, John. “Paul Feyerabend.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 24 Aug. 2020, plato.stanford.edu/entries/feyerabend/. -
Small article "Science Without Experience" published.
In “Science Without Experience”, Feyerabend argues that (in principle) experience is not necessary for the construction or testing of empirical scientific theories. Preston, John. “Paul Feyerabend.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 24 Aug. 2020, plato.stanford.edu/entries/feyerabend/. -
“Consolations for the Specialist” is published
In this publication, epistemological anarchism makes its first appearance. This concept would later be refined for publication in "Against Method". "Feyerabend claimed to be applying the liberalism of John Stuart Mill’s 'On Liberty' to scientific methodology" (Preston). Preston, John. “Paul Feyerabend.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 24 Aug. 2020, plato.stanford.edu/entries/feyerabend/. -
"Against Method" is published
Feyerabend's first book, "Against Method" is published and lays the groundwork for his "epistemological anarchism" which implies that there is no scientific method to science. What Feyerabend means by this is that good scientists do not follow a set of rules to achieve results or make discoveries. Epistemological Anarchiam -
Death
Feyerabend died on February 11, 1994 in Genolier, Switzerland. He died of a brain tumor. Saxon, Wolfgang. “Paul K. Feyerabend, 70, Anti-Science Philosopher.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Mar. 1994, www.nytimes.com/1994/03/08/us/paul-k-feyerabend-70-anti-science-philosopher.html.