ABSTRACT
In my opinion, a more flexible approach is suitable, for theoretical, a well as practical, reasons. Science does no more claim to find rerum naturam, but only to give us some explanatory models; in a similar way, the philosophy of science, in the study of the phenomenon 'science', can give us explanatory models, and, strictly speaking, nothing else. The same event, the same idea can then be studied (also by the same philosopher) from different viewpoints; indeed, a mixed method is perhaps the most useful for a deeper understanding.
