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Imre Lakatos Quotes

Philosopher

Imre Lakatos was a prominent philosopher known for his contributions to the philosophy of science. His research focused on the methodology of science and the evolution of scientific theories, particularly on the philosophical issues in mathematics and physics. Lakatos's methodological individualism and the evolutionary view of scientific research have had a profound impact on subsequent philosophy of science.

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All Theory Programmes Research Blind Heuristics Mathematics May Science Belief Commitment Crime Criticism Empty Experiments Intellectual Numbers Philosophy Rational Results Rivals

Famous Imre Lakatos Quotes

“In degenerating programmes, however, theories are fabricated only in order to accommodate known facts”

Facts Order Known Theory Programmes Accommodate

Book:The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

Source: The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

“The classical example of a successful research programme is Newton's gravitational theory: possibly the most successful research programme ever.”

Successful Example Theory Research Newton Programmes

Book:The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

Source: The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

“It is not that we propose a theory and Nature may shout NO; rather, we propose a maze of theories, and Nature may shout INCONSISTENT.”

May Science Nature Natural Theory Propose Inconsistent Mazes

Book:The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

Source: The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

“No experimental result can ever kill a theory: any theory can be saved from counterinstances either by some auxiliary hypothesis or by a suitable reinterpretation of its terms.”

Science Term Results Theory Saved Experiments Hypothesis Suitable Reinterpretation

Book:The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

Source: The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

“Blind commitment to a theory is not an intellectual virtue: it is an intellectual crime.”

Virtue Crime Theory Intellectual Commitment Blind

Book:The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

Source: The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

“If even in science there is no a way of judging a theory but by assessing the number, faith and vocal energy of its supporters, then this must be even more so in the social sciences: truth lies in power.”

Ifs Way Lying Energy Social Numbers Judging Theory Supporter Vocal Social Science Assessing

Author:Imre Lakatos

“Indeed, this epistemological theory of the relation between theory and experiment differs sharply from the epistemological theory of naive falsificationism.”

Theory Relation Experiments Naive

Book:The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

Source: The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

“There is no falsification before the emergence of a better theory.”

Theory Emergence Falsification

Book:The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

Source: The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers

About the Author

Born: November 9, 1922
Died: February 2, 1974
Known for: Philosopher
Quotes: 22

Books & Sources

The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical PapersRelated source material

Proofs and Refutations: The Logic of Mathematical DiscoveryRelated source material

Philosophical PapersRelated source material

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