8/9/2019 Popper Society Summaries

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Chapter by chapter summary of Karl Popper’s ‘The Open Society & It’s Enemies.’by timgoughu ! on "# $ec% '""

E(ery )ante* to rea* this t)o (olume beast of a boo+ ,o+ -ell you shoul* /ou ha(en’t gottime+ -ell here is my " paragraph per chapter summary of the boo. En0oy.

". 1istoricism 2 the 3yth of $estiny. 1istoricism 4 5acialism 2 3ar6ism. 1esio* 2 1E57C8IT9S 4 comes us )ith the problem of change:. Theory of ;orms

8/9/2019 Popper Society Summaries

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":. B,OTE. Christian authoritarianism of the mi**le ages 3ar6ism J the most *angerous formof historianism. 3ar6 places great stress on scientific pre*iction 4 )hich le* him astray."D. 3ar6 re0ecte* the i*ea that moti(es or psychological factors pro(i*e a*eAuate e6planation ofsocioeconomic structures an* historical e(ents."G. 3ar6 )as not a (ulgar 3ar6ist% or a (ulgar materialist. 3ar6 says that the social sciencescoinci*e )ith historical or e(olutionary metho*% an* especially )ith historical prophecy. 3ar6 alsosays that the economic organisation of society is fun*amental for the society’s historical*e(elopment. BPopper *isagrees )ith these t)o claims.". The Classes. The 3ar6ist theory of classes is a *angerous o(ersimplification."M. The 8egal an* the Social System. 4 3ar6’s theory of the state. 3ar6 asserts Ban* Popper*enies the nee* to use political po)er to control economic po)er. 7buse of po)er is notsuppose* to be a problem un*er socialism. 5ules nee* to be impartial an* not *iscretionaryor*ers.". ’The Coming of Socialism.’ Popper tests the coherence of the chain of pre*ictions that 3ar6ma*e for the coming of socialism follo)ing the re(olution. Can )e assume that a classlesssociety )ill emerge from the battle+"#. ‘The Social 5e(olution.’ 4 3ar6% social prophecy that struggle )oul* en* in (iolent )arbet)een the classes Blast class stan*ing. 3ar6ist rhetoric un*ermines *emocracy an* opens the)ay for fascism.'. ‘Capitalism an* its ;ate.’ 3ar6 gi(es )ay to basically a theory of e6ploitation. 3ar6 )as

completely )rong in his prophecies% yet 0ustifie* in reacting against oppressi(e capitalism.". ‘7n E(aluation of the Prophecy.’ ;ree maret )ill minimi@e Bor ten* to correct o(erpro*uctionan* un*erpro*uction% an* )ill ensure a fairly rapi* reco(ery form busts. ’The 3oral Theory of 1istoricism.’ 3ar6ism cannot pro(i*e either reliable prophecies Bnothingcan or a*(ice on the piecemeal reforms that might achie(e *esire* outcomes B3ar6 regar*e*that as 9topian )hat accounts for the po)er an* impact of 3ar6ism+ OPE, SOCIET/ FIESSP7CE TO C5E7TE ,E- OPTIO,S 7,$ OPPO5T9,ITIES. 3ar6 *eterminism )as in conflict)ith his acti(ism an* his moralism% those )ho tae on the )hole pacage confuse themsel(es.:. ’The Sociology of Kno)le*ge.’ -hate(er ob0ecti(ity an* rationality )e can achie(e cannot beattribute* to special Aualities of min* but to the gi(e an* tae of criticism in a community. Poppertals against t)o emerging i*eas% one )as controlling social change by means of largescalecentral planning% the other )as the theory of social *etermination of scientific no)le*ge.D. ‘Oracular Philosophy an* the 5e(olt against 5eason.’ 5ationalism < 5eason+

G. ‘1as 1istory any 3eaning+’ ‘In this chapter Popper is re(eale* as something lie ane6istentialist B)ithout hysteria )ith the message that history has no meaning but )e can gi(e itmeaning.’a. Outlines the importance of theories to organise historical *atab. Theories in Scientific researchc. 5ole of problems