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Title: Karl Popper (1902-1994)
Title: Karl Popper (1902-1994)
Summary of the major contributions
The problem of demarcation: the demarcation problem aimed at distinguishing between science and nonscience. Popper argues that universal propositions cannot be verified through experience; however, one genuine counter-instance falsifies the corresponding universal law. -
The falsification principle
The falsification principle: a theory is considered scientific if it can be falsified, refuted, or tested (Trollope). Every good theory is a prohibition as it forbids certain things. The more the prohibitions, the better the theory. Basic propositions/hypotheses take the singular existential form and serve as the premise for empirical falsification. Use the link below to watch a video on Karl Popper and the logic of falsification.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlFywEtLZ9w -
Karl Popper philosophy continues
The falsified theory is not abandoned until a better substitute is developed. Science involves theoretical progress. A theory B is considered better than a rival theory A, if B has greater empirical content thus greater predictive power than A (Thornton). -
Karl Popper philosophy continues
Growth of human knowledge: human knowledge grows from problems and from attempts of solving the problems. If a theory is successfully falsified, the quest for a better theory begins. When a theory is falsified, scientists respond by revising the theory, rejecting the theory in favor of a rival theory, or by maintaining the theory and changing the auxiliary hypothesis (Shea). -
Karl Popper - continued
The contingency of scientific conclusions: when a theory survives the falsification test, the basic proposition is not accepted and the theory is corroborated not verified. Evidence can only support the scientific theory not prove the theory. A theory cannot be proved beyond a shadow of doubt and acceptance of a theory is only provisional. Deductive reasoning progresses science as induction cannot yield certainty (McLeod).