From: Matt Brown <mjb001-AT-ucsd.edu> Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2005 17:00:26 -0800 To: feyerabend-AT-lists.driftline.org Subject: Re: [PKF] feyerabend and anarchism Feyerabend explicitly denies any relationship between his epistemological anarchism and political anarchism, so I wouldn't say that there is any sort of tension. The doctrine is primarily negative, a suggestion that in order to make progress, scientists have to break the rules set down by "rationalist" methodologists. I think it does suggest and is inspired by a political viewpoint. Indeed, Feyerabend was one of the few philosophers of science of his time who took the political impact of science and political philosophy seriously (though I think it would be fair to say that he was somewhat naive in this area). Now, it is much more commonplace (and there are philosophers like Gerald Doppelt who are both political philosophers and philosophers of science). Feyerabend tended to talk about the political viewpoint that he supported as "democratic" and "relativist" rather than "anarchist." Hope that helps. On Dec 8, 2005, at 4:37 PM, jeff o'brien wrote: > Is Feyerabend's anarchistic methodology truly 'anarchist', or is it > merely amethodological or, say, a methodology void of methodological > rules? Can his epistemic pronouncements be considered non-hierarchical > and indeed, anarchist? Or did Feyerabend merely conflate 'anarchy' > with 'chaos'? Have any contemporary anarchist theorists examined > Feyerabend's work, or, given that there is little discourse between > the philosophy of science and political philosophy, has this potential > tension gone largely unnoticed? > > jeff. > -- > _______________________________________________ > List address: feyerabend-AT-driftline.org > Admin interface: http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/feyerabend- > driftline.org -- Matt Brown, Philosophy Grad Student -AT- UCSD & http://thm.askee.net "Philosophy, when just escaping from its golden pupa-skin, mythology, proclaimed the great evolutionary agency of the universe to be Love. Or, since this pirate-lingo, English, is poor in such-like words, let us say Eros, the exuberance-love." - C.S. Peirce _______________________________________________ List address: feyerabend-AT-driftline.org Admin interface: http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/feyerabend-driftline.org
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