Karl Popper

Early Life and Intellectual Influences

Karl Popper, a philosopher and social commentator, was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1902, and lived until 1994. Growing up in an intellectual household shaped his philosophical perspectives. His father, a lawyer, instilled in him a love for classics and philosophy, while his mother nurtured his passion for music. Popper was initially fascinated with Marxism and was exposed to dialectical views on economics, class struggle, and historical progression. However, he soon became disillusioned with the Marxist movement.

Rejection of Classical Science and Induction

Popper is best known for his rejection of the classical view of science as a process of induction based on observation and verification. Instead, he proposed falsification as the criterion of demarcation between science and non-science. According to Popper, a statement or theory is scientific only if it is falsifiable—meaning it makes predictions that can be tested by observation or experiment and shown to be false.

Critique of Induction and Verification

Popper rejected the idea that science could be based on induction from observed regularities or generalizations, as these can never be conclusively verified. He was also against the verificationist principle of meaning, which held that only statements that are empirically verifiable or logically true have meaning. Instead, Popper believed that science progresses by making bold conjectures, which are subjected to severe testing.

Philosophy of Critical Rationalism

Popper was a staunch advocate of critical rationalism, which rejects any appeal to authority, tradition, intuition, revelation, or innate ideas as sources of knowledge. He claimed that human knowledge is fallible and speculative and that no final or certain truth exists. Rather than accepting absolute truths, he encouraged a critical attitude that questions everything and seeks out errors and inconsistencies in one’s own beliefs and those of others.

Major Works and Legacy

Popper’s most notable works include The Logic of Scientific Discovery, The Open Society and Its Enemies, and The Poverty of Historicism. These writings solidified his place as one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century. His ideas on science, knowledge, and open societies continue to shape contemporary thought in various fields.

Death and Lasting Influence

Karl Popper passed away on September 17, 1994, due to complications of cancer, pneumonia, and kidney failure. Despite his death, his contributions to philosophy, especially his theories on science and critical thinking, continue to resonate in academic and intellectual circles worldwide.