Methodology
Appraising Lakatos: Mathematics, Methodology, and the Man edited by
George Kampis, Ladislav Kvasz, Michael Stoltzner (Vienna
Circle Institute Library: Kluwer Academic Publishers)
a critical re-evaluation of the ideas of Imre Lakatos, a leader in the shaping
of what is called the new philosophy of science. The 17 contributions (the
result of a joint venture between the
Institute Vienna Circle
and the Institute for History and Philosophy of Science of Eotvos U,
Budapest
)
address his main theme of locating rationality within the scientific process, as
well as his philosophy of mathematics, which emphasizes heuristics and
mathematical practice over logical justification. They also include discussion
of his personal life and politics, and contain a part of his Debrecen Ph.D.
thesis as well as a bibliography of his Hungarian writings.
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
Gyorgyi Lukacs' 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.
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