The Logic of Scientific Discovery
The Logic of Scientific Discovery is a seminal work in the philosophy of science, written by the Austrian philosopher Karl Popper. Originally published in German in 1934 under the title Logik der Forschung, the book has been translated into many languages and has been widely influential in shaping the way scientists and philosophers think about the nature of scientific inquiry.
Karl Popper was born in Vienna in 1902 and grew up in a family of Jewish intellectuals. He studied philosophy at the University of Vienna and later worked as a teacher and lecturer in philosophy and psychology. Popper fled Austria in 1937 to escape the Nazi regime and eventually settled in England, where he became a professor at the London School of Economics.
In The Logic of Scientific Discovery, Popper challenges the conventional view that science proceeds by the accumulation of empirical observations and the verification of theories. Instead, he argues that scientific knowledge can never be absolutely certain, but can only be falsifiable—that is, subject to refutation by empirical evidence. Popper's theory of falsifiability has become a cornerstone of modern scientific methodology and has been influential in a variety of fields, from physics and biology to economics and psychology.
The book's introduction lays out Popper's central argument and sets the stage for his discussion of scientific methodology. Popper begins by critiquing the inductive method of scientific inquiry, which he argues is based on the flawed assumption that observations can lead to certain knowledge. He then introduces his theory of falsifiability, which he argues provides a more rigorous and reliable method for testing scientific theories.
Overall, The Logic of Scientific Discovery is a groundbreaking work that challenges many of the assumptions underlying traditional views of science. It continues to be a must-read for anyone interested in the philosophy of science or the scientific method.
Author: Karl R. Popper
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