Karl Popper

"Science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths."

Sir Karl Raimund Popper CH FBA FRS (28 July 1902 – 17 September 1994) was an Austrian-born British philosopher, academic and social commentator.

One of the 20th century's most influential philosophers of science, Popper is known for his rejection of the classical inductivist views on the scientific method in favour of empirical falsification. According to Popper, a theory in the empirical sciences can never be proven, but it can be falsified, meaning that it can (and should) be scrutinised with decisive experiments.

Popper was opposed to the classical justificationist account of knowledge, which he replaced with critical rationalism, namely ""the first non-justificational philosophy of criticism in the history of philosophy"". In political discourse, he is known for his vigorous defence of liberal democracy and the principles of social criticism that he believed made a flourishing open society possible.

His political philosophy embraced ideas from major democratic political ideologies, including socialism/social democracy, libertarianism/classical liberalism and conservatism, and attempted to reconcile them.

What areas and genres did Karl Popper write in?

Popper wrote in philosophy of science, epistemology and political philosophy. Key themes include falsification and critical rationalism in science, and defence of liberal democracy and an open society in political thought.

Which book is a good place to start with Popper's work?

For his philosophy of science start with The Logic of Scientific Discovery or Conjectures and Refutations. For his political thought start with The Open Society and Its Enemies. For an accessible overview of his intellectual development try Unended Quest.

What are Karl Popper's most influential works?

Major works include The Logic of Scientific Discovery; Conjectures and Refutations; The Open Society and Its Enemies; The Poverty of Historicism; and Unended Quest.

Is there a recommended reading order for his books?

There is no strict sequence. A common approach is to read Unended Quest for context, then tackle his philosophy of science books (The Logic of Scientific Discovery, Conjectures and Refutations), and then his political writings (The Open Society and Its Enemies and related essays). The Open Society appears in two parts and is best read together.