Larry Laudan Quotes

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The displacement of the idea that facts and evidence matter by the idea that everything boils down to subjective interests and perspectives is - second only to American political campaigns - the most prominent and pernicious manifestation of anti-intellectualism in our time.

Larry Laudan

When a thinker does what it is rational to do, we need inquire no further into the causes of his actions; whereas, when he does what is in fact irrational — even if he believes it to be rational — we require some further explanation.

Larry Laudan

The aim of science is merely to secure theories with a high problem-solving effectiveness.

Larry Laudan

If rationality consists in believing only what we can reasonably presume to be true, and if we define "truth" in its classical nonpragmatic sense, then science is (and will forever remain) irrational.

Larry Laudan

Unsolved problems generally count as genuine problems only when they are no longer unsolved.

Larry Laudan

Larry Laudan

Larry Laudan

Born: October 16, 1941

Died: August 23, 2022 (aged 80)

Bio: Larry Laudan was a contemporary American philosopher of science and epistemologist. He strongly criticized the traditions of positivism, realism, and relativism, and he has defended a view of science as a privileged and progressive institution against popular challenges.

Known for:

Progress and Its Problems (1977)
Beyond positivism and relativism (1996)
Truth, error, and criminal law (2006)

Larry Laudan on Wikipedia

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