This book is about Karl Popper's early writings before he began his career as a philosopher. The purpose of the book is to demonstrate that Popper's philosophy of science, with its emphasis on the method of trial and error, is largely based on the psychology of Otto Selz, whose theory of problem solving and scientific discovery laid the foundation for much of contemporary cognitive psychology. By arguing that Popper's famous defence of the method of falsification as well as his elaboration of an evolutionary theory of knowledge are equally indebted to German psychology, Michel ter Hark challenges the received view of the development of Popper's philosophy. The book concludes with a reinterpretation of Popper's theory of the mind-body problem, emphasizing its contemporary relevance.
This book is about Karl Popper's early writings before he began his career as a philosopher.Reviews'It will be essential reading for scholars in the history of psychology, the history of philosophy, Popper studies and the philosophy of the social sciences.' Ian Jarvie, York University, Toronto
'... a major contribution ...' Learning for Democracy
Book InformationISBN 9780521830744
Author Michel ter HarkFormat Hardback
Page Count 264
Imprint Cambridge University PressPublisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 560g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 19mm