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Early adult life
During this time, Feyerabend was actively serving as an officer for the German Army until he was shot in the stomach while in retreat on the Russian Front. These early years and hardships showed him examples of humanity at its best and worst and assisted with him formulating his later theories. -
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Doctorate and continuing education
He received a doctorate in philosophy in 1951, after which he went to England and studied under Karl Popper. During this time he focused his research on quantum theory. In 1953 he would move back to his home in Vienna after declining an offer to become one of Poppers research assistants. -
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Continuation of his academic life
Over the course of the next 20 years Feyerabend would continue to work in his field and would begin to publish multiple articles while maintaining a permanent position at the University of Berkeley. Towards the middle of the 1960's he began to focus on theoretical pluralism, the belief that scientists should create as many theories as possible in order to defend those theories. During this time he also began to critique Karl Popper. -
Publishing of his first book
In 1975 Feyerabend published his first book called "Against Method: Outline of an Anarchistic Theory of Knowledge". In this book he debated the need and process of the scientific method, arguing that science should not be Pidgeon holed into one set way of thinking/ conducting thesis analysis. It should instead be conducted and tested using whatever means work within the constraints of the project. This did not mean being sloppy, he was adamant that scientists use methodology to conduct work. -
Works Cited
“Feyerabend, Paul Karl | Encyclopedia.com.” Www.encyclopedia.com, www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/feyerabend-paul-karl. Accessed 10 July 2023. Preston, John. “Paul Feyerabend.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2020, plato.stanford.edu/entries/feyerabend/#BrieChroFeyeLifeWork. Accessed 10 July 2023.