-
The Logic of Scientific Discovery
Karl Popper challenged the previous iterations of the scientific method that were based on induction (generalizing from observations). He developed the concept of "falsifiability," where a scientific theory could be disproven by an experiment, but never definitively proven. His emphasis on refuting theories rather than repeatedly verifying them significantly influenced the philosophy of science. Popper, Karl R. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. Routledge, 2002. (Originally published 1934) -
The Open Society and Its Enemies
This book explored Poppers views on political philosophy and the importance of open societies. He argued in defense of democracy, critical thinking, as well as social institutions that pushed for the exchanging of ideas. He criticized totalitarian regimes and ideologies that suppressed the pursuit of knowledge. Popper, Karl R. The Open Society and Its Enemies. Routledge, 2012. (Originally published 1945) -
The Poverty of Historicism
In this book Popper criticized peoples attempts to predict the future course humanity based on social or economic laws. He argued that human actions and evolving knowledge made those kinds of predictions effectively impossible. Instead, he promoted a more open and critical approach to the field of social sciences. Popper, Karl R. The Poverty of Historicism. Routledge, 2000. (Originally published 1957) -
Conjectures and Refutations
This book further explains Popper's ideas on a more effective scientific methodology. He pushed the importance of critical thinking, bold conjectures, and the importance of error correction in scientific progress. Popper, Karl R. Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge. Routledge, 2002. (Originally published 1963) -
Objective Knowledge: An Evolutionary Approach
In his later works, Popper continued to refine his philosophical ideas on approaches science. He addressed criticisms of his falsification approach, explored the relationship between science and society, and pushed for a more open and overall rational approach to problem-solving in all aspects of life. Popper, Karl R. Objective Knowledge: An Evolutionary Approach. Oxford University Press, 1972.