The Quixotic element in 'The Open Society.'(Special Issue: The 50th Anniversary of Popper's 'The Open Society and Its Enemies', part 2)
Article Abstract:
Karl Popper's thesis that historicism is the determining factor that leads to the pursuit of a closed society is flawed. There is no clear link between the development of closed societies and the consequences of the notion held by some historians that historical phenomena is preordained. If developmental laws do exist, then it follows that no amount of human intervention can alter the course of history. Popper's relentless attack on historicism can be viewed as a personal and psychological battle and not the result of a neutral and intellectual academic pursuit.
Publication Name: Philosophy of the Social Sciences
Subject: Social sciences
ISSN: 0048-3931
Year: 1997
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Social foundations of openness
Article Abstract:
Karl Popper's book, 'The Open Society and Its Enemies,' failed in its aim of philosophically constructing an ideal society. He based his theories on the breakdown of democratic systems on what he mistakenly perceived to be a universal human trait. He exaggerated the importance of the role of intellectuals and of social disruptions in social development, failing to take note of the fact that radical ideas do not always have a profound impact on societies and that social change can occur without going through a process of upheaval.
Publication Name: Philosophy of the Social Sciences
Subject: Social sciences
ISSN: 0048-3931
Year: 1997
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
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