Imre Lakatos was a Hungarian philosopher of mathematics and science, known for his work in the philosophy of science during the 20th century. He developed the concept of research programs, which are structured sets of theories that guide scientific inquiry. Lakatos aimed to reconcile the ideas of Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn, focusing on how scientific theories evolve over time. Lakatos is best known for his critique of the falsifiability criterion proposed by Popper. He argued that scientific theories are not easily discarded but rather modified within their research programs. His ideas have influenced discussions on the nature of scientific progress and the development of knowledge.