Against Method: Outline of an Anarchistic Theory of Knowledge - Softcover

Feyerabend, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0860912221 ISBN 13: 9780860912224

Publisher: Verso Books, 1989

Synopsis

Modern philosophy of science has paid great attention to the understanding of scientific "practice", in contrast to the earlier concentration on scientific "method". This work, which has contributed to this debate, shows the deficiencies of some widespread ideas about the nature of knowledge. He argues that the only feasible explanations of scientific successes are historical explanations and that anarchism must now replace rationalism in the theory of knowledge. The third edition of this text contains a new preface and additional reflections which take account both of recent debates on science and on the impact of scientific products and practices on the human community. While disavowing populism or relativism, Feyerabend continues to insist that the voice of the inexpert must be heard. Thus many environmental perils were first identified by non-experts against prevailing assumptions in the scientific community.

About this title

Review

A brilliant polemic. --New Scientist

A devastating attack on the claims of philosophy to legislate for scientific practice. --London Review of Books

Since it was first published in 1975, Against Method has followed Popper's The Logic of Scientific Discovery and Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions into becoming a classic text in the debate about scientific methodology and scientific reasoning. --The Philosopher

About the Author

PAUL FEYERABEND was Professor of Philosophy at UC Berkeley, and Professor of the Philosophy of Science at the Federal Institute of Technology at Zurich. He died in 1994. His other books include Philosophical Papers and Farewell to Reason.

Edition details

• Publisher: Verso Books
• Publication date: 1989
• ISBN 10: 0860912221
• ISBN 13: 9780860912224
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 304