Nauka – dyskurs czy propaganda? „Kampania” Galileusza w świetle anarchizmu Feyerabenda oraz koncepcji działania komunikacyjnego Habermasa

Abstract

Science - discourse or propaganda? Galileo’s “campaign” in the light of Paul Feyerabend’s anarchism and Jürgen Habermas’ concept of communicative action: In the article Galileo’s campaign in favor of Copernican system is examined in terms of two different frameworks: Paul Feyerebend’s methodological anarchism and Jürgen Habermas’ formal pragmatics. It is argued that while Feyerabend has been essentially right in defending scientific pluralism, he has gone too far when maintaining that Galileo’s endeavor deserves the name of propaganda. Since, as it is demonstrated in the course of analysis, the account of scientific method against which Feyerabend comes out does not exhaust the notion of reason, a wider conception of rationality is required so that the crucial episodes in the history of science be explained. Drawing on the Habermas’ theory of discourse, the author of the article sets out to reinterpret Galileo’s enterprise and portray it as a fine example of a versatile implementation of the principles of reason.