Larry Laudan
Larry Laudan | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 16, 1941 Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | August 23, 2022 (aged 80) |
| Education | |
| Education | University of Kansas (B.A., 1962) Princeton University (Ph.D., 1965) |
| Philosophical work | |
| Era | Contemporary philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | Pragmatism |
| Institutions | University of Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of Texas Law School, UNAM |
| Main interests | Philosophy of science, epistemology, philosophy of law |
| Notable ideas | Reticulationist model of scientific rationality centered around the concept of research traditions Pessimistic induction Criticism of positivism, realism, and relativism |
Laurens Lynn "Larry" Laudan (/ˈlaʊdən/; October 16, 1941 – August 23, 2022) was an American philosopher of science and epistemologist. He strongly criticized the traditions of positivism, realism, and relativism, and he defended a view of science as a privileged and progressive institution against challenges. Laudan's philosophical view of "research traditions" is seen as an important alternative to Imre Lakatos's "research programs".