Farewell to ReasonFarewell to Reason offers a vigorous challenge to the scientific rationalism that underlies Western ideals of “progress” and “development,” whose damaging social and ecological consequences are now widely recognized. For all their variety in theme and occasion, the essays in this book share a consistent philosophical purpose. Whether discussing Greek art and thought, vindicating the church’s battle with Galileo, exploring the development of quantum physics or exposing the dogmatism of Karl Popper, Feyerabend defends a relativist and historicist notion of the sciences. The appeal to reason, he insists, is empty, and must be replaced by a notion of science that subordinates it to the needs of citizens and communities. Provocative, polemical and rigorously argued, Farewell to Reason will infuriate Feyerabend’s critics and delight his many admirers. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Notes on Relativism | 19 |
Reason Xenophanes and the Homeric Gods | 90 |
Knowledge and the Role of Theories | 105 |
Creativity | 128 |
Progress in Philosophy the Sciences and the Arts | 143 |
Comments on Poppers Excursions into Philosophy | 162 |
Machs Theory of Research and its Relation to Einstein | 192 |
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abstract accepted According Aeschylus argument Aristotle assertion assume assumption atoms Azande basic Bohr chapter commonsense complex concepts conflict connected contains critical rationalism criticism cultures debate depends described Diels-Kranz discussion domain Einstein elements entities Ernst Mach example exist experience explain facts footnote Galileo gods Greek Herodotus Homeric human ideas individual intellectual interpretation Karl Popper knowledge language laws lives logical Mach Mach's mathematical matter means medicine ments modern motion nature objective objectivist opinions Parmenides person philo philosophers philosophy of science physical Plato point of view Popper positivism practice principles problems procedures Protagoras quantum mechanics quantum theory rational rationalists realism reality reason refuted regarded rejected relativism relativistic relativity role scientific scientists sense situation social societies statements theoretical theory of relativity things thought tions traditions true truth universal Western Xenophanes York