Popper's Theory on Democracy

2211 Words9 Pages
Popper’s theory of knowledge ,,In so far as a scientific statement speaks about reality, it must be falsifiable: and in so far as it is not falsifiable, it does not speak about reality.” To understand Karl Popper’s theory on democracy, we first have to understand and analyse his thoughts on knowledge. Popper rejected the idea that all theories have to be verified by observations – this is a method which is called induction. According to him theories cannot be verified but they can be falsified. He argued that since theories are experimental forever, observations have to be used as tests to falsify those. This means that a hypothesis is set and believed to be true until a counterexample appears. As an example: we cannot say that all the ravens are black since one can never be sure that we have seen all the ravens that exist. But according to this theory we can believe this to be true until the point we find a raven that is not black. He developed his four-step problem-solving schema which is a generalised theory about learning and problem-solving. At the beginning there is a problem which creates tentative solutions. These different solutions are then eliminated by critical discussions and experimental testing. This phase is called the error elimination. During these critical discussions new problems arise and the cycle starts again. ,,Whenever a theory appears to you as the only possible one, take this as a sign that you have neither understood the theory nor the problem which was intended to solve.” Matching his theory of knowledge with his theory of democracy According to his new theory on knowledge the scientific theories have to be falsified not justified, moreover those theories can be seen scientific that give the conditions and circumstances of falsification. With his new theory he has questioned the methodology of the Vienna Circle. His theory suggests that
Open Document