“One might get the impression that I recommend a new methodology which replaces induction by counterinduction and uses a multiplicity of theories, metaphysical views, fairy tales, instead of the customary pair theory/observation. This impression would certainly be mistaken. My intention is not to replace one set of general rules by another such set: my intention is rather to convince the reader that all methodologies, even the most obvious ones, have their limits.” UseMightScienceViewsTheoryReaderLimitsIntentionObviousImpressionTalesObservationFairyConvincePairsFairy TaleMistakenMetaphysicalMultiplicityScientific MethodEpistemologyMethodology Book:Against Method Source: Against Method
“A scientist, an artist, a citizen is not like a child who needs papa methodology and mama rationality to give him security and direction, he can take care of himself, for he is the inventor not only of laws, theories, pictures, plays, forms of music, ways of dealing with his fellow man, institutions, but also entire world view, he is the inventor of entire forms of like.” MenWorldWayNeedsGivingChildrenPlayCareFormLawArtistViewsSecurityTheoryCitizensScientistFellowsInstitutionsTake CareRationalityFellow ManInventorMamaWorld ViewMethodologyPapa Author:Paul Feyerabend
“Science is not sacrosanct. The mere fact that it exists, is admired, has results is not sufficient for making it a measure of excellence. Modern science arose from global objections against earlier views and rationalism itself, the idea that there are general rules and standards for conducting our affairs, affairs of knowledge included, arose from global objections to common sense.” IdeasFactsResultsViewsCommonModernStandardsExcellenceMereAffairCommon SenseSufficientObjectionsModern ScienceConductingRationalism Author:Paul Feyerabend
“Knowledge is not a series of self-consistent theories that converges toward an ideal view; it is rather an ever increasing ocean of mutually incompatible (and perhaps even incommensurable) alternatives, each single theory, each fairy tale, each myth that is part of the collection forcing the others into greater articulation and all of them contributing, via this process of competition, to the development of our consciousness.” SelfProcessViewsConsciousnessGreaterTheoryDevelopmentOceanIdealsCompetitionSeriesMythTalesAlternativesFairyCollectionsConsistentFairy TaleContributingArticulation Book:Against method: outline of an anarchistic theory of knowledge Source: Against method: outline of an anarchistic theory of knowledge
“It is clear, then, that the idea of a fixed method, or of a fixed theory of rationality, rests on too naive a view of man and his social surroundings. To those who look at the rich material provided by history, and who are not intent on impoverishing it in order to please their lower instincts, their craving for intellectual security in the form of clarity, precision, "objectivity," "truth," it will become clear that there is only one principle that can be defended under all circumstances and in all stages of human development. It is the principle: anything goes.” MenHumansLooksIdeasTruthFormScienceOrderSocialViewsPrinciplesRichClearStageSecurityMaterialsTheoryDevelopmentCircumstancesPleaseIntellectualMethodInstinctClarityFixedRationalityHypothesisNaiveSurroundingsCravingObjectivityPrecisionHuman DevelopmentAnything Goes Author:Paul Feyerabend
“It is often assumed that science starts from facts and eschews counter-factual theories. Nothing could be further from the truth. What is one of the basic assumptions of the scientific world-view? That the variety of events that surrounds us is held together by a deeper unity.” WorldFactsTogetherViewsEventsTheoryUnityDeeperVarietyAssumptionSurroundFactualWorld View Author:Paul Feyerabend
