Full-text resources of CEJSH and other databases are now available in the new Library of Science.
Visit https://bibliotekanauki.pl

PL EN


2005 | 53 | 2 | 219-241

Article title

Kuhn versus Popper

Content

Title variants

Languages of publication

CS

Abstracts

EN
The paper discusses the main themes of the Kuhn Popper controversy. Popper defends the possibility of a rational reconstruction of science, objective truth and normative methodology. Kuhn emphasizes the historical and sociological aspects of the development of science, the relativity of truth, and the incommensurability of paradigms. The author confronts these two opposing conceptions of the philosophy of science and applies them to the historical case of Ignaz Semmelweis who proposed a revolutionary theory of childbed fever, anticipating the germ theory officially ascribed to Pasteur and Lister. Kuhn’s view on the resistance of scientific communities to a paradigm threat may explain why Semmelweis’ discovery was rejected. However, the sociological and psychological explanation is accompanied by the loss of the normative function of the philosophy of science. In opposition to Kuhn, Popper formulates a critical imperative as the rational core of science and the guarantee of open, creative thinking. According to Popper, the philosophy of science must not only explain Semmelweis’ failure with external reasons, but must also prescribe the methodological norms that eliminate dogmatism from rationality.

Keywords

Year

Volume

53

Issue

2

Pages

219-241

Physical description

Document type

ARTICLE

Contributors

  • Filosofický časopis, redakce, Filosofický ústav AV ČR, v.v.i., Jilská 1, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic

References

Document Type

Publication order reference

Identifiers

YADDA identifier

bwmeta1.element.14bf2953-61ed-47c5-91d7-b0454b73288a
JavaScript is turned off in your web browser. Turn it on to take full advantage of this site, then refresh the page.