I 188
Science/Irrationality/Feyerabend: the "irrational" approach is necessary because of the "uneven development" (Marx, Lenin) of the different parts of science. Copernicanism and other essential elements of modern science only remain alive, because in their history reason has often been overuled!
I 290
Science/Feyerabend: the theoretical authority of science is much lower than one assumes, but its social authority has grown enormously.
Research/Einstein: recommended to separate research and profession.
I 326
Theory of Science/Feyerabend: these reflections on archaic art can be combined with science theory:
1) E.g. perspective: we might assume that it was so obvious that it could not have been missing at the time.
I 327
Solution: Shortcuts are not an obvious feature of our world of perception, as long as attention is not particularly directed to them. And why should the world of perception of the Greeks be the same as ours?
2) Method: by which method were the special features of the archaic cosmology worked out? With that of the anthropologist who tried to identify the "key ideals".
I 329
3) Concept: the researcher must never attempt to make a concept clearer than the material suggests (except as a temporary tool for further investigation).
I 330
4) Incommensurability: the meaning of sentences is only understood incompletely. Hempel: only wants to recognize incommensurability after the concept of meaning used therein is explained.
I 331
5) Logic: logicians will raise objections: the investigation of the meaning of sentences and the relations between concepts is the task of logic and not of anthropology.
Logic/Feyerabend: Logic can be two things:
A) the study of the structures of a particular subject (anthropology) or
B) a specific logical system.
Anthropology/Feyerabend: In order to recognize whether "AB v AB' equi A" is part of the quantum theory, we will have to study the quantum theory, and not logic! It is necessary to study historical records, textbooks, original papers, minutes of meetings, and so on. Admittedly, these records alone do not provide a clear solution. But also historical evidence does not provide a clear solution to historical problems! And no one thinks they should be disregarded because of that. >
Quantum theory, >
Logic, >
Method.
I 339
Science/Feyerabend: does not refer to facts and laws, but to methods and activities of the scientist! Its investigation is an anthropological one.
---
II 63
Science/Einstein/Feyerabend: Einstein repeatedly emphasizes the opportunistic nature of scientific research.
II 174
Science/FeyerabendVsKuhn: the delineations of traditions and subjects, on which Kuhn and Polanyi base their thesis of the untouchability of science, are transient stages of the historical process.
Science today is a business that unintentionally reinforces the totalitarian tendencies of society. Thus, the objection of Kuhn is settled. >
Progress, >
Theories.
