About this title: First published in English in 1959, Karl Popper's The Logic of Scientific Discovery revolutionized contemporary thinking about science and knowledge and is one of the most widely read books about science written last century. Described by the philosopher AJ Ayer as 'a work of great originality and power', Popper presents the two ideas that did more than anything else to make him famous: that the only true knowledge is scientific knowledge and that knowledge grows only when on testing a theory, it can be shown to be false. Popper's now legendary doctrine of 'falsificationism' electrified the ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Routledge
Date Published: 2002-09-01
ISBN-13:9780415278447ISBN:0415278449
Description: NEW. Softcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780415278447. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Taylor & Francis(Routledge)
Date Published: 2002
ISBN-13:9780415278447ISBN:0415278449
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. 7.795 by 5.079 inches. Described by the philosopher a.j. ayer as a work of 'great originality and power', this book revolutionized contemporary thinking on science and knowledge. ideas such as the now legendary doctrine of 'falsificationism' electrified the scientific community, influencing even working scientists, as well as post-war philosophy. this astonishing work ranks alongside the open society and its enemies as one of popper's most enduring books and contains ... read more
Edition: Second
Binding: Very Good
Publisher: Hutchinson of London, London
Date Published: 1960
Description: Very Good. No Jacket. Hardcopy Owner's name is written on first page & stamped on bottom edge, hinge cover has some spots to it, some edgewear to edges of covers and corners. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Basic Books, Inc., New York
Description: Very Good- in Good+ jacket. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. (1959) 480 pp. Original gray cloth covers w/ gilt title on spine. Spine ends and bottom corner of rear cover bumped. Light foxing to edges of text block. Faint tape ghosts (? ) to front blank endpaper. DJ moderately soiled and foxed. Spine and edges darkened. Small chip to middle of spine at hinge. Contents nice. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Basic Books
Date Published: 1959
Description: Good Condition. Good Condition, x-library copy with usual markings, otherwise clean/unmarked, tight binding, minor edge/cover wear. read more
Edition: First edition.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Basic Books, New York
Date Published: 1959
Description: Very good in good dust jacket. Text in English, German. 479 p. illus., facsim. 25 cm. Includes: Illustrations, Facsimiles. Translation of Logik der Forschung. Bibliographical footnotes. Book is solid, tight, square and clean, with a DJ in fair to good shape (price-clipped) and various closed tears and chips. (see scan for indication of DJ shape). A classic text in scientific theory. read more
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. New but cover has numerous light scratches. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 544 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
"This is where the nightmare of relativistic thinking begins; excellent in theory but just like knowldge of a spherical Earth it makes sense in la la land only. Let's face it, for all intensive purposes in daily practise we treat the earth as flat; to do otherwise would be ridiculous no?"
"It's a brilliant book, although the English translation could have been better. Many fascinating ideas that will be useful even (or perhaps I should say especially) to social scientists. Someone above commented that Popper over-reiterates his criticism of inductive logic - but one has to remember that this book was written in a time when psychologism was dominating the discourse. And today, when all sorts of superstitions and general lack of critical thinking are rife in many disciplines as well as in the society, Popper's ideas are as relevant as ever."
"I volunteered to read this book in my PhD Doctoral Seminar because I thought my German language abilities would help me further understand Karl Popper.
It didn't.
Here's my review:
Grappling with underlying ideas of how science is "discovered" and the underlying problems that exist with new knowledge? Sir Karl Popper's book, The Logic of Scientific Discovery, directly addresses these issues and additionally tackles a theme important to philosophy - epistemology or the growth of knowledge. A critical examination of the logic behind science is required for the "growth of scientific knowledge."
Popper's book, published in the early 1930s, elicited a storm of controversy. In fact, the author has since written three novels as well as numerous papers to further explain his views. The premise he makes is that laws of nature, theories and hypotheses should not be and never should be established as "truth". Instead, they can be corroborated and supported by the observations and systematic tests of science.
Of the three organized parts to the book, the first part deals with an introduction to the Logic of Science. The second section, by far the largest, begins to expound upon different components needed to frame his overall thesis. Together, these are arranged into short monologues (85 of them) that dissect the components of theoretical scientific research. The last section of his book contains seven appendices as well as twelve additional appendices added since his first edition. These contain examples and explicit rationale to elaborate upon and delve into those items that he felt would be the most contentious or have since been found contentious by his peers.
In short, he spends most of his time reviewing some of the more fundamental problems that philosophers have encountered (and often have chosen to ignore) in the advancement of science. He takes aim at the generally accepted "theory of scientific method", arguing that most methodological rules, conventions, and approaches taken contain fundamental flaws. Beginning with the theories in use, he observes that the logical problems, often dismissed by assumption or by convention, should not and do not need to be handled in this way. The notion of falsification and the problem of empirical basis are thoroughly discussed. A great deal of space is devoted to the nuances of testability and simplicity followed by two dozen or so pieces on probability. His "Observations on Quantum Theory" are fascinating as he walks the reader through many of theory's questionable assumptions. Finally, he finishes with several thoughts on "corroboration, or how a theory stands up to tests."
This book is NOT light reading - a good dictionary to assist with the mastery of his subject area is highly recommended. In addition, a college-level education in the empirical sciences and philosophy wouldn't hurt. Figures such as Kant, Bernoulli, Newton, Einstein and others are used throughout the book to support or reject his theses. He is well versed in his contemporaries' work and speaks with an ease regarding their research and theories in a way that lends credence to his own views. Contemporaries such as Einstein, with whom he corresponded, were equally familiar and knowledgeable with accepted philosophical tenets as well as in their particular fields of science. Unfortunately, the book's flow and organization leaves much to be desired. For example, Popper chose to footnote and comment on nearly every monologue he wrote in subsequent editions. (The original had been printed near the beginning of his career.) For many, this is a great boon, because he uses this space to defend his work over time as well as expound even further upon his thoughts. He also acknowledges his mistakes or where he has been convinced otherwise and even encourages readers to skip portions of the book he no longer supports. Publishing a revised and enlarged edition to correct his work might have made things easier for the reader. However, this artifact may simply be a way to show how his thinking has evolved over the years.
Owing to the radically provocative nature of his ideas, the many separate books, papers, and symposia this book has spawned, this book has fulfilled its purpose. It has become one of the classics in modern logical thinking by critically examining the underpinnings of modern scientific thought and theory. This book deserves a place in the library of every serious student of philosophy. While writing about logical examination of scientific theories, Popper muses, "Our method of research is not to defend them, in order to prove how right we were. On the contrary, we try to overthrow them." In essence, his legacy remains: there will always be another set of laws, another set of hypotheses and their accompanying axioms that will absorb existing theories and well established axioms until the next set comes along. And we still have so much to discover."
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