Lakatos's Hard Core Theory

Lakatos criticized and inherited others'thought, especially Popper's and Kuhn's, then put forward the theory of "Scientific research programs", he explained the scientific rationality from the integrity in the new perspective, set up distinguish standards of science and non-science, and increased new content for the development of scientific historiography. The core of "Scientific research programs" is the "hard core". Only after analysizing and clarifying the real internal mechanism about the "hard core", can we accurately understand the essence of " Scientific research programs ", then made it guide scientific development throughout rational application , This paper mainly discussed the following four parts:Firstly, discussed the theoretical origin of lakatos'hard core theory systematically. Duhem and Quine consider that various hypothesis make up a complex theoretical system, which can only be judged that theoretical system is true or false, it can't be judged that single theory is true and false, so scientific development process does not exist crucial tests. Hempel further discussed this view, and made a clear distinction between the auxiliary hypotheses and AD hoc hypotheses. Kuhn's "paradigm" theory has had a powerful impact upon the traditional views,which belongs to the new scientific development pattern. Their thoughts directly influenced the formation of "hard core" theory.Secondly, it mainly explained the source and essence of "hard core" theory. Lakatos believed that mathematics has been known as model for science was not a priori, corroborating undoubtedly, it was an experiment. Therefore, he introduced Popper's Fallibilism to mathematics range. He criticized and inherited Popper's falsificationism and Kuhn's historicism, and put forward the theory of "Scientific research programs". He explained scientific development pattern from a new perspective. He discussed the position and essence of "hard core" theory in Scientific research programs. Thirdly, analyzed and clarified the nature of "hard core" ,Lakatos think that all scientific research programs are only different in "hard core". Once "hard core" is contradicted, scientific theory building will suddenly collapsed. Therefore, "hard core" possess tenacity, namely irrefutable,which people agreed not to make it refuted in the growth process .Harden core, which dominated science research range and content, digested abnormality in mature period. However, "hard core" can be never undefeated, if it didn't make a new interpretation or forecast in the experience and theory ,it would be destroyed. The tenacity of Hard core in the evolutionary period, the qualitative in the formation period, the dominant in the mature period , the breakability in the degradation period,it reasonably explained logic basis in scientific development process.Lastly, discussed how to establish the demarcation standard of scientific theory and guided the establishment of scientific historiography in detail . Lakatos considered that the progress of experience and theory as standard of scientific progress in the same time, the demarcation about science and non-science was converted from confirming or falsification to evaluation for scientific principle, this pointed out new direction of the historiography 's development .