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Summary:

Feyerabend argues that some very basic assumptions about science are simply false and that substantial parts of scientific ideology were created on the basis of superficial generalizations that led to absurd misconceptions about the nature of human life. Far from solving the pressing problems of our age, such as war and poverty, scientific theorizing glorifies ephemeral generalities, at the cost of confronting the real particulars that make life meaningful. Objectivity and generality are based on abstraction and, as such, they come at a high price. For abstraction drives a wedge between our thoughts and our experience, resulting in the degeneration of both. Theoreticians, as opposed to practitioners tend to impose a tyranny on the concepts they use, abstracting from the subjective experience that makes life meaningful. Feyerabend argues that practical experience is a better guide to reality than any theory by itself ever could be, and stresses that there is no tyranny that cannot be resisted, even if exerted with the best possible intentions.

Table of Contents:

• Conflict and harmony
• The disunity of science
• The abundance of nature
• Dehumanizing humans.

Author/Creator:

Feyerabend, Paul, 1924-1994 , author

Contributors:

Oberheim, Eric , editor, writer of introduction

Languages:

English
Italian

Language Notes:

Item content: English
Translated from (original): Italian

Main Work:

Ambiguità e armonia [by Feyerabend, P.] (English)

Subjects:

Science — Philosophy

Philosophy and science

Science

General Notes:

Translation of: Ambiguità e armonia : lezioni trentine.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 135-146) and index.

Physical Description:

xii, 153 pages ; 22 cm

Call Numbers:

Q175 .F42413 2011

ISBNs:

0745651909 (pbk.)
9780745651903 (pbk.)
0745651895 (hbk.)
9780745651897 (hbk.)

Library of Congress Control Numbers:

2011381399

OCLC Numbers:

668946683