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Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge (Routledge Classics, 2002 edition)

Karl Popper · c. 1963–1968

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17 korrents from this book ↓

Karl Popper did not write this page.

Every claim below was made in this book, quoted word for word and numbered in the order the piece makes them, so you can read it there rather than take our word for it. The book prints chapter headings its extracted text does not preserve, so the claims below are in the book's order but not grouped. The sentence above each quote is our reading of the claim, not their wording. Each quote was checked against a stored copy of the page at build time; where the two differ, the quote is the fact.

  1. Our reading

    There are no ultimate sources of knowledge: every source is welcome, and every source is open to criticism

    Their wordsThere are no ultimate sources of knowledge. Every source, every suggestion, is welcome; and every source, every suggestion, is open to critical examination.

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  2. Our reading

    The more we learn about the world, the clearer our knowledge of our own ignorance becomes

    Their wordsThe more we learn about the world, and the deeper our learning, the more conscious, specific, and articulate will be our knowledge of what we do not know, our knowledge of our ignorance.

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  3. Our reading

    Confirmations are easy to find for nearly any theory if we look for them

    Their wordsIt is easy to obtain confirmations, or verifications, for nearly every theory - if we look for confirmations.

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  4. Our reading

    Confirmations should count only when they come from risky predictions

    Their wordsConfirmations should count only if they are the result of risky predictions

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  5. Our reading

    The more a scientific theory forbids, the better it is

    Their wordsThe more a theory forbids, the better it is.

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  6. Our reading

    Being irrefutable is not a virtue in a theory but a vice

    Their wordsIrrefutability is not a virtue of a theory (as people often think) but a vice.

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  7. Our reading

    Every genuine test of a theory is an attempt to refute it

    Their wordsEvery genuine test of a theory is an attempt to falsify it, or to refute it. Testability is falsifiability

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  8. Our reading

    Observation is always selective

    Their wordsObservation is always selective.

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  9. Our reading

    Rationality is the critical attitude: freely discussing theories to find their weak spots so they can be improved

    Their wordsThe critical attitude, the tradition of free discussion of theories with the aim of discovering their weak spots so that they may be improved upon, is the attitude of reasonableness, of rationality.

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  10. Our reading

    False theories often serve well enough: formulae known to be false can be excellent approximations

    Their wordsfalse theories often serve well enough: most formulae used in engineering or navigation are known to be false, although they may be excellent approximations and easy to handle

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  11. Our reading

    Public opinion is something everyone can influence, philosophers especially

    Their wordsAnd public opinion is a thing which all can influence, and especially philosophers.

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  12. Our reading

    Rational discussion needs only a readiness to learn from one's partner in it

    Their wordsAll that is needed is a readiness to learn from one's partner in the discussion

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  13. Our reading

    There is no scientific way of choosing between two ends

    Their wordsThere is no scientific way of choosing between two ends.

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  14. Our reading

    Work to eliminate concrete evils rather than to realize abstract goods

    Their wordsWork for the elimination of concrete evils rather than for the realization of abstract goods.

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  15. Our reading

    Do not aim to bring about happiness by political means

    Their wordsDo not aim at establishing happiness by political means.

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  16. Our reading

    The Utopian attitude is opposed to reasonableness

    Their wordsThe Utopianist attitude, therefore, is opposed to the attitude of reasonableness.

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  17. Our reading

    Rather than heaven on earth, we can make life a little less terrible and a little less unjust in each generation

    Their wordsWhat I believe we can do instead is to make life a little less terrible and a little less unjust in each generation.

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