Join with a free account for more service, or become a member for full access to exclusives and extra support of WorldSupporter >>
IBP Psychology and Science- Feyerabend’s anarchistic theory of science (ch10)
IBP Psychology and Science
Chapter 10: Feyerabend’s anarchistic theory of science
We seem to be having trouble with our search for the characterisation of science that will serve to pick out what distinguishes it from other kinds of knowledge.
Feyerabend’s case against method:
- There is no such method and, indeed, that science does not possess features that render it necessarily superior to other forms of knowledge
- ‘Anything goes’
- Feyerabend’s main line of argument attempts to undermine characterisations of method and progress in science offered by philosophers by challenging them on their own ground
- He takes examples of scientific change which his opponents consider to be classic instances of scientific progress and shows that, as a matter of historical fact, those changes did not conform to the theories of science proposed by those philosophers
- Galileo tricked people through techniques of persuasion to believe him that Venus and Mars do not change size
- Kuhn’s relativist appeal to social consensus of scientific theory in deciding which paradigm to use, was rejected by Feyerabend because he felt Kuhn didn’t distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate ways of achieving consensus
- Since Feyerabend believed no one had been able to properly explain why science had such a high status in society, he claimed this status was not justified
Feyerabend’s advocacy of freedom:
- If we take methodological constraints away from scientists, that they’re more free, which allows them to choose between science and other forms of knowledge
- Feyerabend felt science holds such a high position in society that there is no separation between science and state, like there is with state and church
- There is no scientific method. Scientists should follow their subjective wishes. Anything goes.
Critique of Feyerabend’s individualism:
- Society may change but what stays is that there is a situation we live in that puts constraints on what we can do. There cannot be a generalised appeal to unconstrained freedom in real life
- How could be possibly get such a constraint-free society into existence? How would that function?
Resources:
What is This Thing Called Science 4th Edition (CHALMERS)
Access:
Public
Click & Go to more related summaries or chapters
Psychology and Science
Psychology and Science bundle
Summaries and supporting content:
Access:
Public
Work for WorldSupporter
JoHo can really use your help! Check out the various student jobs here that match your studies, improve your competencies, strengthen your CV and contribute to a more tolerant world
Check how to use summaries on WorldSupporter.org
Online access to all summaries, study notes en practice exams
- Check out: Register with JoHo WorldSupporter: starting page (EN)
- Check out: Aanmelden bij JoHo WorldSupporter - startpagina (NL)
How and why would you use WorldSupporter.org for your summaries and study assistance?
- For free use of many of the summaries and study aids provided or collected by your fellow students.
- For free use of many of the lecture and study group notes, exam questions and practice questions.
- For use of all exclusive summaries and study assistance for those who are member with JoHo WorldSupporter with online access
- For compiling your own materials and contributions with relevant study help
- For sharing and finding relevant and interesting summaries, documents, notes, blogs, tips, videos, discussions, activities, recipes, side jobs and more.
Using and finding summaries, study notes en practice exams on JoHo WorldSupporter
There are several ways to navigate the large amount of summaries, study notes en practice exams on JoHo WorldSupporter.
- Use the menu above every page to go to one of the main starting pages
- Starting pages: for some fields of study and some university curricula editors have created (start) magazines where customised selections of summaries are put together to smoothen navigation. When you have found a magazine of your likings, add that page to your favorites so you can easily go to that starting point directly from your profile during future visits. Below you will find some start magazines per field of study
- Use the topics and taxonomy terms
- The topics and taxonomy of the study and working fields gives you insight in the amount of summaries that are tagged by authors on specific subjects. This type of navigation can help find summaries that you could have missed when just using the search tools. Tags are organised per field of study and per study institution. Note: not all content is tagged thoroughly, so when this approach doesn't give the results you were looking for, please check the search tool as back up
- Check or follow your (study) organizations:
- by checking or using your study organizations you are likely to discover all relevant study materials.
- this option is only available trough partner organizations
- Check or follow authors or other WorldSupporters
- by following individual users, authors you are likely to discover more relevant study materials.
- Use the Search tools
- 'Quick & Easy'- not very elegant but the fastest way to find a specific summary of a book or study assistance with a specific course or subject.
- The search tool is also available at the bottom of most pages
Do you want to share your summaries with JoHo WorldSupporter and its visitors?
- Check out: Why and how to add a WorldSupporter contributions
- JoHo members: JoHo WorldSupporter members can share content directly and have access to all content: Join JoHo and become a JoHo member
- Non-members: When you are not a member you do not have full access, but if you want to share your own content with others you can fill out the contact form
Quicklinks to fields of study for summaries and study assistance
Field of study
- All studies for summaries, study assistance and working fields
- Communication & Media sciences
- Corporate & Organizational Sciences
- Cultural Studies & Humanities
- Economy & Economical sciences
- Education & Pedagogic Sciences
- Health & Medical Sciences
- IT & Exact sciences
- Law & Justice
- Nature & Environmental Sciences
- Psychology & Behavioral Sciences
- Public Administration & Social Sciences
- Science & Research
- Technical Sciences
Comments, Compliments & Kudos:
Add new contribution