Ideas of Karl Popper, by Theme

[Austrian, 1902 - 1994, Born in Vienna. Refugee. Professor at the London School of Economics.]

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2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 5. Objectivity
Scientific objectivity lies in inter-subjective testing
8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 7. Against Powers
Propensities are part of a situation, not part of the objects
9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 11. Essence of Artefacts
Human artefacts may have essences, in their purposes
9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 15. Against Essentialism
Popper felt that ancient essentialism was a bar to progress [Mautner]
14. Science / A. Basis of Science / 6. Falsification
Particulars can be verified or falsified, but general statements can only be falsified (conclusively)
Give Nobel Prizes for really good refutations? [Gorham]
Falsification is the criterion of demarcation between science and non-science [Magee]
We don't only reject hypotheses because we have falsified them [Lipton]
If falsification requires logical inconsistency, then probabilistic statements can't be falsified [Bird]
When Popper gets in difficulties, he quietly uses induction to help out [Bird]
14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 2. Aim of Science
Good theories have empirical content, explain a lot, and are not falsified [Newton-Smith]
14. Science / C. Induction / 3. Limits of Induction
There is no such thing as induction [Magee]
14. Science / C. Induction / 4. Reason in Induction
Science cannot be shown to be rational if induction is rejected [Newton-Smith]
14. Science / D. Explanation / 3. Best Explanation / b. Ultimate explanation
Science does not aim at ultimate explanations
26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / a. Scientific essentialism
Galilean science aimed at true essences, as the ultimate explanations
26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / e. Anti scientific essentialism
Essentialist views of science prevent further questions from being raised