Karl Popper
Karl Popper was an Austrian-British philosopher and professor, widely regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of science of the 20th century. He is known for his contributions to the philosophy of science, particularly his advocacy of empirical falsifiability as a criterion for scientific theories.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. The Open Society
This book is a critique of totalitarianism and a defense of liberal democracy. The author argues against the concept of a perfect, immutable society, instead advocating for an "open society" that allows for constant change and improvement. He criticizes theories of historical determinism and the notion of "the collective", emphasizing the importance of individual freedom and human rights. The book also examines and challenges the philosophies of Plato, Hegel, and Marx, linking their ideas to the rise of fascism and communism in the 20th century.
The 850th Greatest Book of All Time -
2. The Logic of Scientific Discovery
This book is a significant work in the philosophy of science, proposing a methodology for scientific discovery that challenges traditional inductive reasoning. The author argues that scientific theories can never be proven definitively, but can only be corroborated or falsified through empirical testing. He introduces the concept of falsifiability as the key criterion for distinguishing scientific theories from non-scientific ones. The book also delves into the problems of induction, demarcation, and the relationship between theory and observation in scientific practice.
The 1525th Greatest Book of All Time
