Karl Popper - a 20th-century philosopher of science
What this philosopher had to say about science and the scientific method and Falsifiability
Karl Popper was a 20th-century philosopher of science, best known for his contributions to the philosophy of science, political philosophy, and his ideas on the nature of scientific theories. He is often considered one of the most important philosophers of science of the 20th century, and his ideas continue to shape contemporary thought.
Here are some key points about Popper's philosophy:
1. Falsifiability and the Scientific Method:
Popper is perhaps most famous for his idea of falsifiability as the demarcation criterion for science. In other words, a theory is scientific if it can, in principle, be proven false by some observation or experiment. He argued that scientific theories should make bold predictions that can be tested and potentially refuted, which contrasts with the idea that theories can be verified or proven true. For example, Einstein’s theory of relativity made predictions that could be tested and possibly shown to be false, which made it scientific according to Popper's criteria. Medical science has strayed away from this principle in recent years. An example is the Allopathic principle adhered by many that ‘‘vaccines are safe and effective”. If applying Popper’s principle of testing a theory, we would see that by proving this theory false (as many have) the scientific method is upheld.
2. The Problem of Induction:
Popper was critical of the idea that science could be based on inductive reasoning, which involves generalizing from a set of observations to make broader conclusions. He argued that induction could never guarantee that a theory is true, since no number of positive observations can prove a theory absolutely. Instead, scientific progress happens through conjectures (proposing hypotheses) and refutations (testing and potentially falsifying them). In Popper's view, the goal of science is to eliminate false theories, not to verify them. I am not entirely sure I buy into this completely.
3. The Open Society and Political Philosophy:
Popper was also influential in political philosophy. In his famous book The Open Society and Its Enemies (1945), Popper critiqued totalitarianism and historicism. He argued that societies should be open, democratic, and based on the principle of piecemeal social engineering, which is the idea that social reform should be gradual and based on experimentation and adjustment rather than large, sweeping plans. He was particularly critical of philosophers like Plato, Hegel, and Marx, whom he accused of promoting deterministic and totalitarian ideologies that undermine human freedom. Today we see our higher education system embracing a type of neo-Marxist idealogue and this over the past decades has chipped away at our Republic, personal freedoms and resulted in a corrosion of moral compasses for many citizens of our land.
4. Critique of Historicism:
Popper strongly opposed the idea of historicism, which is the belief that history follows predetermined laws and that we can predict the course of history based on these laws. He thought this was dangerous because it could justify authoritarian rule. He believed that history is shaped by human actions and is therefore open to change, which can be influenced by rational criticism and democratic processes. That being said, does history repeat itself? Hah, it may and observationally does IMHO.
5. The Logic of Scientific Discovery:
Popper’s book The Logic of Scientific Discovery (1934) laid out his philosophy of science. It’s a rather dense and highly technical work, but it is foundational for understanding his views on how science progresses. In it, Popper discusses how theories can be tested and refuted and provides a framework for understanding how scientific knowledge grows over time.
6. Critical Rationalism:
Popper’s broader philosophical stance is often referred to as critical rationalism. Critical rationalism is the view that all knowledge is tentative and subject to criticism. Instead of seeking certainty, we should remain open to testing and potentially refuting our beliefs. It’s a rejection of dogmatism and an embrace of continuous inquiry. In Popper’s view, we make progress by proposing bold hypotheses and subjecting them to rigorous testing. Repeating this process to bring enlightenment.
Popper's ideas are still influential today, especially in discussions about the philosophy of science, political theory, and even in how we think about knowledge and truth.
From time to time, I will examine the person and their philosophy of luminaries in mostly Western Philosophy and possibly Eastern. This is from an interest and minor in Philosophy while an undergraduate student at GSU.
Next will be a piece on St. Thomas Aquinas. Then on Plato.