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Appraising Lakatos
mathematics, methodology, and the man
Abstract
Imre Lakatos (1922-1974) was one of the protagonists in shaping the "new philosophy of science". More than 25 years after his untimely death, it is time for a critical re-evaluation of his ideas. His main theme of locating rationality within the scientific process appears even more compelling today, after many historical case studies have revealed the cultural and societal elements within scientific practices. Recently there has been, above all, an increasing interest in Lakatos' philosophy of mathematics, which emphasises heuristics and mathematical practice over logical justification. But suitable modifications of his approach are called for in order to make it applicable to modern axiomatised theories. Pioneering historical research in England and Hungary has unearthed hitherto unknown facts about Lakatos' personal life, his wartime activities and his involvement in the political developments of post-war Europe. From a communist activist committed to Györgyi Lukács' thinking, Lakatos developed into a staunch anti-Marxist who found his intellectual background in Popper's critical rationalism. The volume also publishes for the first time a part of his Debrecen Ph.D. thesis and it is concluded by a bibliography of his Hungarian writings.
Details | Table of Contents
pp.3-12
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5_1pp.23-52
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5_3Lakatos' methodological account of Kuhnian patterns of theory change
pp.53-71
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5_4why the methodology of scientific research programmes is less than half the story
pp.85-99
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5_6pp.101-111
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5_7proofs and refutations and the axiomatic variation of concepts
pp.139-156
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5_9pp.157-187
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5_10pp.189-210
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5_11pp.211-241
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5_12pp.255-260
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5_14Imre Lakatos' life in Hungary
pp.263-302
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5_15Publication details
Publisher: Springer
Place: Dordrecht
Year: 2002
Pages: 382
Series: Vienna Circle Institute Library
Series volume: 1
DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-0769-5
ISBN (hardback): 978-90-481-5922-2
ISBN (digital): 978-94-017-0769-5
Full citation:
Kampis George, Kvasz Ladislav, Stöltzner Michael (2002) Appraising Lakatos: mathematics, methodology, and the man. Dordrecht, Springer.