Personal Knowledge

What does it take for scientific truth to take hold? What’s the difference between science and art? The answers can be found in one of the most impactful philosophy of science books of the twentieth century, Personal Knowledge: Toward a Post-Critical Philosophy. Written by Michael Polanyi in 1958, this astonishing work contends that our personal experiences and ways of sharing knowledge have a profound effect on scientific discovery. He argues against the idea of the wholly dispassionate researcher, pointing out that even in the strictest of sciences, knowing is still an art, and that personal commitment and passion are logically necessary parts of research.