PREMIUM-Ep. 281: Paul Feyerabend's Anarchist Philosophy of Science (Part Two)
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
Mark Linsenmayer
4.6 • 2.3K Ratings
🗓️ 15 November 2021
⏱️ 13 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Continuing on Against Method (1975) about the non-rational progress of science.
Given that according to F., epistemological conformity can't proceed by an appeal to reason, how does it proceed? Through indoctrination, propaganda, and coercion, even when our goal is to encourage freedom and rationality.
If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion, sign up via one of the options described at partiallyexaminedlife.com/support.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | The partially examined life philosophy podcast Part 1 episodes are designed to be self-contained, |
| 0:12.7 | fully satisfying experiences in themselves. |
| 0:15.6 | But for hardcore philosophy fans, we record for another hour or so to release behind |
| 0:20.0 | our various paywalls to folks that pitch in to help us make this show. |
| 0:24.1 | What you're about to hear is a preview of one of these Part 2 episodes, and hope you |
| 0:27.7 | enjoy it. |
| 0:28.7 | You're listening to episode 282 where we're reading Paul Firebund's Against Method from |
| 0:33.9 | 1975, and I still cannot pronounce his name correctly, but we left off Part 1 where after |
| 0:42.8 | some general introduction we were getting through the details of the first part of the |
| 0:47.6 | book. |
| 0:48.6 | And I think we're on Chapter 1 now. |
| 0:52.4 | So as Paul, I'll just call him Paul now. |
| 0:56.1 | Starts it up. |
| 0:57.1 | He says, this is shown both by an examination of historical episodes and by an abstract analysis |
| 1:04.1 | of the relation between idea and action. |
| 1:07.3 | The only principle that does not inhibit progress is anything goes. |
| 1:12.2 | This is one of the things that he's really famous for for saying in this, is doubling |
| 1:15.9 | down on the anarchistic nature and just saying anything goes and all kinds of really tightly |
| 1:23.1 | wound philosophers of science and scientists got all kinds of wound up about the fact |
| 1:29.7 | that he said anything goes. |
| 1:32.9 | He starts off this chapter by saying that whatever your epistemological rule is, science |
| 1:40.2 | violates it at one time or another, and that's actually necessary for progress. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Mark Linsenmayer, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Mark Linsenmayer and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.