Karl Popper
Karl Popper
Sir Karl Raimund Popper CH FBA FRSwas an Austrian-British philosopher and professor. He is generally regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of science of the 20th century...
NationalityAustrian
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth28 July 1902
CountryAustria
Karl Popper quotes about
tests information way
The only way to test a hypothesis is to look for all the information that disagrees with it.
trying democracy compromise
The defence of democracy must consist in making anti-democratic experiences too costly for those who try them; much more costly than a democratic compromise
discovery creative intuition
Every discovery contains an irrational element or a creative intuition.
technology engineering social
Piecemeal social engineering resembles physical engineering in regarding the ends as beyond the province of technology.
tolerance tolerate prepared
If we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them.
tests genuine theory
Every genuine test of a theory is an attempt to falsify it, or to refute it.
plato political program
Plato felt that a complete reconstruction of society's political program was needed.
inspirational letting-go book
No book can ever be finished. While working on it we learn just enough to find it immature the moment we turn away from it
theory myth scientific-theory
Historically speaking all - or very nearly all - scientific theories originate from myths.
world may subjectivity
It is clear that everybody interested in science must be interested in world 3 objects. A physical scientist, to start with, may be interested mainly in world 1 objects--say crystals and X-rays. But very soon he must realize how much depends on our interpretation of the facts, that is, on our theories, and so on world 3 objects. Similarly, a historian of science, or a philosopher interested in science must be largely a student of world 3 objects.
ideas survival bad-ideas
The survival value of intelligence is that it allows us to extinct a bad idea, before the idea extincts us.
mistake criticism serious
Serious rational criticism is so rare that it should be encouraged. Being too ready to defend oneself is more dangerous than being too ready to admit a mistake.
simple nihilism atoms
It is complete nihilism to propose laying down arms in a world where atom bombs are around. It is very simple: there is no way of achieving peace other than with weapons.
hate ideas may
We hate the very idea that our own ideas may be mistaken, so we cling dogmatically to our conjectures.