No experimental result can ever kill a theory: any theory can be saved from counterinstances either by some auxiliary hypothesis or by a suitable reinterpretation of its terms. — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
The great scientific achievements are research programmes which can be evaluated in terms of progressive and degenerative problemshifts; and scientific revolutions consist of one research programme superceding (overtaking in progress) another. This methodology offers a new rational reconstruction of science. — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
In degenerating programmes, however, theories are fabricated only in order to accommodate known facts — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
The history of mathematics, lacking the guidance of philosophy, [is] blind, while the philosophy of mathematics, turning its back on the most intriguing phenomena… — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
Mathematics does not grow through a monotonous increase of the number of indubitably established theorems but through the incessant improvement of guesses by speculation… — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
The clash between Popper and Kuhn is not about a mere technical point in epistemology. — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
Our empirical criterion for a series of theories is that it should produce new facts. The idea of growth and the concept of empirical… — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
One may rationally stick to a degenerating research programme until it is overtaken by a rival and even after. What one must not do… — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
It would be wrong to assume that one must stay with a research programme until it has exhausted all its heuristic power, that one… — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
The classical example of a successful research programme is Newton's gravitational theory: possibly the most successful research programme ever. — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
Philosophy of science without history of science is empty; history of science without philosophy of science is blind. — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
If even in science there is no a way of judging a theory but by assessing the number, faith and vocal energy of its… — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
The positive heuristic of the programme saves the scientist from becoming confused by the ocean of anomalies. — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
Blind commitment to a theory is not an intellectual virtue: it is an intellectual crime. — Imre Lakatos Copy Share Image
![“The history of mathematics, lacking the guidance of philosophy, [is] blind, while the philosophy of mathematics, turning its back on the most intriguing phenomena in the history of mathematics, is empty.” quote by Imre Lakatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6cf/imre-lakatos-23759_blind_the-history-of-mathematics-lacking-the-g_92259.jpg)
