Method/Feyerabend Thesis: the theory of Galileo (as well as other deficient theories) does not only correspond to the facts, but is also perfectly reasonable. Any attempt to implement some of the more familiar methodologies of the twentieth century, such as the Trial and Error method, would have had catastrophic consequences! Cf. >
Trial and Error.
I 270
Methodology/Method/Feyerabend: Observations that do not match are rightly regarded as indications of errors in the theories and not in methodology. This changes when the disturbances become overwhelming and surround every observation. (Feyerabend: "cosmological criticism", is preferable here). (VsLakatos).
I 271/272
FeyerabendVsMethodology: (VsLakatos): it does not help to rationally reconstruct the dispute between the old and the new. At any rate, not at the time of the dispute. The methodology misses the tricks with which Galileo worked propagandistically.
(...) (I 281) E.g. Research Programs/Feyerabend: Comparison between Einstein and Lorentz. Einstein's program begins to degenerate, while that of Lorentz advances. (+ ...)
I 283
Research Programs/Feyerabend: The consistency of the speed of light arises from Lorentz' program as a random fact, and is therefore closer to the general theory of relativity than Einstein's program, where the consistency is a fundamental law. And his heuristics are at least as convincing as those of Einstein, for any law that follows from a research program can, of course, be used in its heuristics.
The choice of research programs and competitors is quite arbitrary, and so are the judgments that are based on them.
I 283
Speed of Light/Feyerabend: "E = mc²" was already deduced by Poincaré in 1900 without relativistic aspects.
I 376
Sciences/Feyerabend: Sciences have no common structure. (Family similarity at most). Successful research does not obey general rules.
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II 54
Tradition/Feyerabend:
Thesis 1: Traditions are neither good nor bad
Thesis 2: A tradition obtains desirable or undesirable traits only if it is referred to another tradition. (When viewed as a participant of a tradition).
II 55
Relativism/Feyerabend: the theses 1 and 2 lead to a relativism of exactly the kind that Protagoras seems to have defended. (Man is what matters).
II 73
Scale/Feyerabend: the validity and usefulness of popular standards can only be determined by a research procedure that violates them.
