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Philosophy and the Real World: An Introduction to Karl Popper
very good book
120 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 26, 2020
Easy-reading summary of the greatest philosopher of science ever. Chapter 3 on what makes science, science is fire litty fire.
It's pretty crazy how many people today still side with what he calls the 'inductivist' view:
"According to the traditional, inductivist view, what scientists are looking for are statements about the world which have the maximum degree of probability, given the evidence. Popper denies this. Any fool he points out, can produce an indefinite number of predictions with a probability almost equal to one... [e.g. "it will rain"] The probability of such statements is maximal because the informative content is minimal."
Popper calls the core difference between science & nonscience the 'Criterion of Demarcation', and here it is:
"A scientific theory is not one which explains everything that can possibly happen: on the contrary, it rules out most of what could possibly happen, and is therefore itself ruled out if what it rules out happens."
By this he basically just means that scientific claims can be falsified, nonscientific claims can't.
I also like Karl Popper's ideas on why people will always believe in BS and reject science:
"Popper often pointed out that the secret of the enormous psychological appeal of these various theories lay in their ability to explain everything. To know in advance that whatever happens you will be able to understand it gives you not only a sense of intellectual mastery but, even more important, an emotional sense of secure orientation in the world.
It's pretty crazy how many people today still side with what he calls the 'inductivist' view:
"According to the traditional, inductivist view, what scientists are looking for are statements about the world which have the maximum degree of probability, given the evidence. Popper denies this. Any fool he points out, can produce an indefinite number of predictions with a probability almost equal to one... [e.g. "it will rain"] The probability of such statements is maximal because the informative content is minimal."
Popper calls the core difference between science & nonscience the 'Criterion of Demarcation', and here it is:
"A scientific theory is not one which explains everything that can possibly happen: on the contrary, it rules out most of what could possibly happen, and is therefore itself ruled out if what it rules out happens."
By this he basically just means that scientific claims can be falsified, nonscientific claims can't.
I also like Karl Popper's ideas on why people will always believe in BS and reject science:
"Popper often pointed out that the secret of the enormous psychological appeal of these various theories lay in their ability to explain everything. To know in advance that whatever happens you will be able to understand it gives you not only a sense of intellectual mastery but, even more important, an emotional sense of secure orientation in the world.
June 20, 2007
Good God: Bryan Magee writes some of the best prose in existence. And, Karl Popper is cool. Read this book!
April 2, 2021
Fantastic introduction to Popperian philosophy. Lucid, concise, and dense with ideas - just like Popper's work.
Importantly, Magee reminds the reader of the setting in which Popper was developing his ideas. While the arguments against utopianism, historicism, and pseudoscience are still deep and devastating, Magee recalls just how needed they were when first developed.
Importantly, Magee reminds the reader of the setting in which Popper was developing his ideas. While the arguments against utopianism, historicism, and pseudoscience are still deep and devastating, Magee recalls just how needed they were when first developed.
May 9, 2023
Bryan Magee's "Philosophy of the Real World: An Introduction to Karl Popper" is a magnificent work that demystifies the complex ideas of one of the 20th century's most influential philosophers. Magee's eloquent prose and ability to distill Popper's principles make this book an accessible and engaging read for novices and experts alike.
Magee delves into Popper's critical rationalism, his views on falsifiability, and the notion of open societies, among other concepts. The book not only provides a comprehensive account of Popper's ideas but also situates them within the broader context of the philosophy of science and the evolution of human knowledge.
This introduction to Karl Popper is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the philosophical underpinnings of the scientific method, as well as the role of skepticism and critical thinking in shaping our understanding of the world. Magee's writing is clear and concise, allowing readers to easily grasp complex concepts without feeling overwhelmed.
For my personal future reference these 5 books are provided as potentially future reading.
"The Logic of Scientific Discovery" by Karl Popper – Dive deeper into Popper's groundbreaking work on the philosophy of science and the concept of falsifiability.
"Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge" by Karl Popper – Explore Popper's ideas on the development of human knowledge and the importance of critical thinking.
"The Open Society and Its Enemies" by Karl Popper – Investigate Popper's political philosophy and his defense of liberal democracy.
"The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" by Thomas S. Kuhn – Examine the idea of paradigm shifts in scientific thought and how they shape our understanding of the world.
"Against Method" by Paul Feyerabend – Delve into a provocative critique of methodological monism and a defense of epistemological anarchism in the philosophy of science.
Magee delves into Popper's critical rationalism, his views on falsifiability, and the notion of open societies, among other concepts. The book not only provides a comprehensive account of Popper's ideas but also situates them within the broader context of the philosophy of science and the evolution of human knowledge.
This introduction to Karl Popper is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the philosophical underpinnings of the scientific method, as well as the role of skepticism and critical thinking in shaping our understanding of the world. Magee's writing is clear and concise, allowing readers to easily grasp complex concepts without feeling overwhelmed.
For my personal future reference these 5 books are provided as potentially future reading.
"The Logic of Scientific Discovery" by Karl Popper – Dive deeper into Popper's groundbreaking work on the philosophy of science and the concept of falsifiability.
"Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge" by Karl Popper – Explore Popper's ideas on the development of human knowledge and the importance of critical thinking.
"The Open Society and Its Enemies" by Karl Popper – Investigate Popper's political philosophy and his defense of liberal democracy.
"The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" by Thomas S. Kuhn – Examine the idea of paradigm shifts in scientific thought and how they shape our understanding of the world.
"Against Method" by Paul Feyerabend – Delve into a provocative critique of methodological monism and a defense of epistemological anarchism in the philosophy of science.
October 25, 2024
No leí este. Leí «Aprender a pensar: Popper», pero no está aquí.
Me gustó mucho. No sé por qué tomaba a Popper como un pensador, si bien importante históricamente, poco interesante.
Ahora pienso todo lo contrario y no puedo esperar para leer obras de contenido profundo y emocionante como «El universo abierto».
Sus teorías políticas me parecen bien fundamentadas y de valor pero no puedo evitar sentirme escéptico por su reformismo y su rechazo a la Escuela de Frankfurt.
Su Realismo crítico me parece un logro importante, aunque pareciera ser este el causante de su repulsión a la revolución -cosa que me revuelve el estómago.
Me gustó mucho. No sé por qué tomaba a Popper como un pensador, si bien importante históricamente, poco interesante.
Ahora pienso todo lo contrario y no puedo esperar para leer obras de contenido profundo y emocionante como «El universo abierto».
Sus teorías políticas me parecen bien fundamentadas y de valor pero no puedo evitar sentirme escéptico por su reformismo y su rechazo a la Escuela de Frankfurt.
Su Realismo crítico me parece un logro importante, aunque pareciera ser este el causante de su repulsión a la revolución -cosa que me revuelve el estómago.
July 25, 2026
Fantastic book.
Karl Popper is not a name popular in India, at least I had not come across it so far.
The list of western philosophers I have come across never had this name in it.
This name popped up in two other good books I read.
1. The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations that Transform the World - by the physicist David Deutsch.
2. The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable - by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
Both these authors, coming from distant fields, held Karl Popper, a philosopher in a respectful light.
This intrigued me to find more about him. His own work being huge, I started to look for others who have read, understood and then written about him.
This book is written by a philosopher himself.
Being his contemporary, he not just read Popper's work, but also had an opportunity to converse with him about it. That, for me, made it a compelling choice.
The book covers all the important theories of Popper.
1. Science is scientific method. What does a scientific method constitute of? Can we say that a theory we currently believe will remain true forever? Can it be falsified? Are all swans white?
2. What is the method of acquiring knowledge, making progress or fundamentally solving problem? It involves coming up with a trial solution, trying it out, subjecting it to criticism to eliminate errors, putting it through scientific method to do so, solving your initial problem, but being presented with a new set of problems in the process. And this continues.
3. When and where can people actually follow this refinement through criticism? What does "open society" look like? How do Marxist theories hold in this light? How do scientific methods apply to politics or social sciences?
Quite a lot to take, but the book makes it quite palpable.
A definite recommendation from me.
Karl Popper is not a name popular in India, at least I had not come across it so far.
The list of western philosophers I have come across never had this name in it.
This name popped up in two other good books I read.
1. The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations that Transform the World - by the physicist David Deutsch.
2. The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable - by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
Both these authors, coming from distant fields, held Karl Popper, a philosopher in a respectful light.
This intrigued me to find more about him. His own work being huge, I started to look for others who have read, understood and then written about him.
This book is written by a philosopher himself.
Being his contemporary, he not just read Popper's work, but also had an opportunity to converse with him about it. That, for me, made it a compelling choice.
The book covers all the important theories of Popper.
1. Science is scientific method. What does a scientific method constitute of? Can we say that a theory we currently believe will remain true forever? Can it be falsified? Are all swans white?
2. What is the method of acquiring knowledge, making progress or fundamentally solving problem? It involves coming up with a trial solution, trying it out, subjecting it to criticism to eliminate errors, putting it through scientific method to do so, solving your initial problem, but being presented with a new set of problems in the process. And this continues.
3. When and where can people actually follow this refinement through criticism? What does "open society" look like? How do Marxist theories hold in this light? How do scientific methods apply to politics or social sciences?
Quite a lot to take, but the book makes it quite palpable.
A definite recommendation from me.
May 11, 2024
Popper was a proponent of the scientific method, I'm surprised I'd never run across him until now. This is a good introduction to the complexities of using "the method", extracted from Popper's writings, I've seen shorter ones, written by others, but they aren't as well thought out. Some of Popper's related work seems interesting as well. though I don't know if I'm up for wading through the original books.
November 30, 2019
A quick, short introduction to the epistemological, political, and metaphysical theories of Karl Popper. Short, sweet, and to the point.
Reminiscent of the Oxford University Press's Very Short Introductions series, if anyone knows that
Reminiscent of the Oxford University Press's Very Short Introductions series, if anyone knows that
November 26, 2020
Another fine book by Bryan Magee. I read about the book in his Confessions of a Philosopher and it contains a lot of what is included there. If you want to become acquainted with Popper I think this is a good starting point as it touches on all his major books and thoughts. It shows that Popper worked on a wide variety of topics and calling him a philosopher is possibly too narrow of a description. I will definitely continue to read more about and from Karl Popper now that Magee has whet my appetite.
May 14, 2019
Well...now I REALLY need to read Popper!
September 27, 2020
Clear and accessible introduction to Popper, which feels like the perfect map to navigate his works.
December 3, 2022
Good intro. Which popper book to read first?
March 25, 2023
Great introduction to Popper
August 8, 2023
On the fence of 4 or 5 stars. Insane frequency and depth of important practical insights.
December 25, 2023
Great intro into Karl Popper
February 25, 2024
Probably one of the most interesting books I have come across. It puts into a simple language and narrative a mindset that spans scientific and political processes.
Highly recommended
Highly recommended
September 27, 2024
I always wanted to acquaint myself with Popper's thought. This is the introduction I - and possibly others, albeit not for the same reasons- needed.
August 21, 2025
Had to read this for school and was very pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it! It was fairly easy to follow and understand, and it gave me a lot to consider about science and politics.
December 10, 2025
Great summary of Popper's philosophy. It covers the science part and the more "political" part.
May 23, 2026
Popper wrote huge books. Here's a little book. Beautifully written and whirlwinds through everything Popper covered in the range of topics he dealt with.
July 3, 2026
Good intro to Popper and interesting ideas and premises. I would have liked more on the application in politics rather than the first two thirds.
Read
September 4, 2026ترجمهی فارسی نشر ثالث با عنوان
«پوپر: فلسفه و جهان واقع»
«پوپر: فلسفه و جهان واقع»
August 31, 2019
This is a must read for anyone interested in science and a great introduction to - in my opinion- one of the greatest philosophers of the 20th century. In general, Popper states that falsifiability is the criterion of demarcation between science and non-science, nothing in science is permanently established and that we cannot identify science with truth, a society is more succesful if it has free institutions and that in defence of it, the use of force is justified against tyranny even when the tyranny has majority support. Finally, Magee concludes this short book with Popper's general view on the enemies of the open society, but doesn't go in-depth on Popper's criticism on Plato, Fascism and Communism. However, this book made me curious enough to read Popper's own works and therefore has more than fulfilled its purpose as an introduction to Karl Popper.
July 9, 2012
Liked it, but will probably be struggling with the concepts presented for months (or years) to come.
Science books really aren't my forte; I really struggled with this book.
But I managed to finish it, and I guess that's what counts.
Science books really aren't my forte; I really struggled with this book.
But I managed to finish it, and I guess that's what counts.
September 23, 2010
Philosophy and the Real World: An Introduction to Karl Popper by Bryan Magee (1985)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews