Description
Book Synopsisaeo The first comprehensive, critical study of one of the foremost twentieth--century philosophers of science -- Paul Feyerabend. aeo The book will be an excellent introduction to Feyerabenda s work for students in philosophy.
Trade Review'This is a brave, direct, competent, insightful and sympathetic exposition of the total output of one of the best-known, most admired, least comprehended philosophers of the second half of the twentieth century. It is a fair critical assessment of Feyerabend's work as intriguing and inspired but as falling short of his goal.'
Joseph Agassi, York University, Ontario, Canada 'Preston provides a sympathetic but critical account of Feyerabend's work. The scope is comprehensive and the treatment is fair-minded, sensible and thoroughly professional. The content is certainly better than anything I have encountered on Feyerabend. It can be read by those who have not read Feyerabend and by those whose acquaintance with philosophy of science is limited or non-existent.' William Newton-Smith, Balliol College, Oxford
'John Preston has done us a signal service in charting the chages in Feyerabend's thought and in sympathetically explaining why he thought what he did.' Mind
Table of ContentsPreface.
Acknowledgements.
Notes on References.
Introduction: Feyerabend's Life and Work.
1. Philosophy and the Aim of Science.
2. Meaning: The Attack on Positivism.
3. Theories of Observation.
4. Scientific Realism and Instrumentalism.
5. Theoretical Monism.
6. Incommensurability.
7. Theoretical Pluralism.
8. Materialism.
9. Science without Method.
10. Relativism, Rationalism and a Free Society.
Notes.
Bibliography.
Index.
