Synopses & Reviews
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 in the twentieth century. Described by the late philosopher A. J. Ayer as "a work of great originality and power," it presents succintly Popper's view of science and his solutions to two fundamental problems of the theory of knowledge: the demarcation of science from non-science, and the role of induction in the growth of scientific knowledge.
Popper recognised that scientific theories are the result of a creative imagination and that the growth of scientific knowledge rests on the doctrine of falsifiability: that only those theories that are testable and falsifiable by observation and experiment are properly open to scientific evaluation. These stirring ideas had a hugely significant effect on the philosophical and scientific communities and are central to the development of the philosophy of science. Translated into many languages, The Logic of Scientific Discovery ranks alongside The Open Society and Its Enemies as Popper's most important book and a major contribution to modern thought.
Review
"One of the most important documents of the twentieth century." Peter Medawar, New Scientist
Review
"One of the most important philosophical works of our century." Richard Wollheim, The Observer
Review
"Wonderfully exhilarating." Naomi Bliven, New Yorker
Synopsis
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 insights and arguments that demand to be read to this day.