FALSIFICATION THEORY OF KARL RAIMUND POPPER
Introduction
The word ‘philosophy’ comes from the Greek word ‘philosophia’, which literally means ‘love of wisdom’. Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. The word science comes from the Latin "scientia," meaning ‘to know’ or knowledge. Science means ‘knowledge gained by study’ to a ‘particular branch of study’. Science is a logically ordered system of true or at least probably true, and universal statement concerning the essences, foundations, causes and finality of object in a definite field of knowledge with reference to the investigations, arguments and demonstrations upon which the conclusion are based.
The Word Philosophy of Science was coined in 1840 by William Whewell. Philosophy of science is concerned with the assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science. It is also concerned with the use and merit of science and sometimes overlaps metaphysics and epistemology by exploring whether scientific results are actually a study of truth. Philosophy of science studies the world view of scientific theories and elaborates the broader implication. It elucidates various concepts in science like observation, evidence, law, theory and explanation etc. It studies the prejudices and pre disposition of scientist and the very language of science. Aristotle was the first philosopher of Science.
About Karl Raimund Popper
Sir Karl Raimund Popper was born on 28th July, 1902. He was an Austro-British philosopher and a professor at the London School of Economics. He is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of science of the 20th century. He has written extensively on social and political philosophy and so he was known as a social and political philosopher of considerable stature, a self-professed ‘critical-rationalist’[1], a dedicated opponent of all forms of scepticism, conventionalism, and relativism in science and in human affairs generally, a committed advocate and staunch defender of the ‘Open Society’, and an implacable critic of totalitarianism in all of its forms. Popper is a rationalist and contended that the central question in the philosophy of science was distinguishing science from non-science. Popper died on 17th September, 1994. One of the main contributions of Popper is his theory of Falsification.
1. Explain the notion of falsification according to Popper?
The Theory of Falsification was made known by Popper when he tried to criticise the popular scientific world which said that a hypothesis, proposition, or theory talks about the observable only if it is falsifiable. Falsification is the process of changes that affects into a theory or document and makes it untrue after sometime. Falsibility is defined as, “to change a document, information and so on so that it is no longer true in order to trick somebody”[2]. Falsification is the logical possibility that an assertion can be contradicted by an observation or the outcome of a physical experiment. When something is "falsifiable" it does not mean it is false; rather, that if it is false, then some observation or experiment will produce a reproducible result that is in conflict with it. When speaking about Falsification Popper said, “A theory is falsifiable, if there exists at least one non-empty class of homotypic basic statements which are forbidden by it; that is, if the class of its potential falsifiers is not empty"[3]. The criteria to find out whether a statement is scientific or not depends on whether the statement is falsifiable or not. If a statement is falsifiable, then it is scientific, if it is not, then it is non-scientific. Popper accepts metaphysics as meaningful whereas he opines that religious statements may not be scientific but they can be meaningful. For example, while "all men are mortal" is unfalsifiable, it is a logical consequence of the falsifiable theory that "every man dies before he reaches the age of 200 years".
2. What does he aims to solve with.
When a theory is developed there is an aim in which the theory is developed. In order to fulfil the aim action or methods are used. When there is neither aim nor theory or method any undertakings will not be successful. So also Popper aims to solve the theory of Falsification with two types of methods. They are
a. Inductive Method
Inductive method is a method in which scientific research proceeds from observations to theories. Scientists begin with experiments, finding out what happens in specific cases. They then use the results of these experiments to develop general theories about what happens in all cases. In Inductive scientist can move from a series of singular existential statements to a universal statement. That is, that one can move from 'this is a white rabbit', 'that is a white rabbit', and so on, to a universal statement such as 'all rabbits are white'. In simple words Inductive method is a method which starts from specific cases or information in order to arrive at a theory.
b. Deductive Method
Deductive method is that method which uses a theory to explain specific results. Deductive method is different from an absence of verification. The falsification of statements occurs through modus tollens by some observation.[4] In Deductive method no logic is involved only intuition is involved. In simple words Deductive method in falsification is the method in which the results is found our by using the theories that was available. Past observation is necessary in order to make observation.
3. Does he succeed? If so how and if not why?
Popper was successful through his Theory of Falsification. The Theory is very helpful in providing effective evidence that supports a plan. ‘Science grows more only by taking bolder steps of falsification than by the passive attitude of confirming’[5]. Scientific theories and ideas have been falsify or challenge by the theory of Falsification and by doing so it helps in developing better or improved theories and ideas that is more relevant. Science like physics has grown successful in the predictions derived from hypothetical probabilities by method called ‘practical falsibility’[6].
4. Critical analysis
No theory is a perfect theory in itself. There will always be loopholes here and there. To critically analysis Popper’s Theory of Falsification I would it would be unfair to be one sided so I have taken the merits and demerits of the Theory so as to throw greater light in our understanding. The merits and the demerits that people got from Falsification Theory are:
Merits of Falsification Theory
a. The Observational and Categorical statements of used by Popper in this theory have been very much appreciated by scientist.
b. The Inductive and Deductive methods used in Falsification Theory made things to be logical and systematic.
c. It helps people to have a better approach to a problem and then solve them easily.
d. Falsification has also helped the people to get better and specific results and theories. Falsification Theory
Demerits of Falsification Theory
a. Most people find falsification difficult, and that people are prone to a confirmation bias: they tended to search for confirming evidence and avoid falsifying evidence.[7]
b. Researcher found that Popper’s Falsification Theory is unconnected, and thus the fundamental unity of his philosophical vision and method has to a large degree been dissipated.
In my observation I found that the Theory of Falsification has been of great help to scientist. The Observational and Categorical statements used in this Theory have made things simpler. The Inductive and Deductive methods used have tremendously affected in designing a theory or arriving at a specific results. Falsification Theory could be very much applied in our lives. In life we cannot always see only the right or positive things, we should also see the wrong and the negative things so that we will be able to correct the wrong and overcome negative things. In life there will always be failures and disappointments but until and unless we work hard and overcome it we will not reach to success or to a successful life. Falsification Theory is relevant not only to scientist but for our day to day living.
Bibliography
1. Jayard Stephen S: Philosophy and Science: Friends of Foes? Study Material for the B.Ph. Course, Pune, JDV, 2008.
2. Popper Raimund: The Logic of Scientific Discovery
3. Oxford: Student Learner’s Dictionary, New Delhi, Oxford University Press, 2005.
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsifiability, n.d., (accessed July 25, 2011).
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsifiability
[2] Oxford; Student Learner’s Dictionary.
[3] Popper; The Logic of Scientific Discovery, page 95.
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsifiability
[5] S. Stephen Jayard; Philosophy and Science: Friends of Foes? Study Material for the B.Ph. Course, page 42.
[6] Ibid
[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsifiability
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