Accepted Quote by Paul Feyerabend
“Given any rule, however "fundamental" or "necessary" for science, there are always circumstances when it is advisable not only to ignore the rule, but to adopt its opposite. For example, there are circumstances when it is advisable to introduce, elaborate and defend ad hoc hypotheses, or hypotheses which contradict well-established and generally accepted experimental results, or hypotheses whose content is smaller than the content of the existing and empirically adequate alternative, or self-inconsistent hypotheses, and so on.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Against Method, 1975
Scientific rules are not absolute; sometimes breaking them advances knowledge.
In simple terms: Rules can be broken for progress.
Key Takeaway
Question and test established norms.
Themes
science
methodology
innovation
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
academic
When to use this quote
- research
- theory development
- education
- policy making
Key Concepts
philosophy of science
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- When should you challenge a rule?
- What risks arise from ad hoc hypotheses?
A Different Perspective
Breaking rules may lead to false leads if not careful.
![“We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. [This is] mythology rather than science.” quote by Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c31/robert-shapiro-26969_accepted_we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theo_19120.jpg)
