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Simple statements are to be prized more highly than less simple ones because they tell us more because their empirical content is greater and because they are better testable.

Karl Popper

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Karl Popper
Age: 92 †
Born: 1902
Born: July 28
Died: 1994
Died: September 17
Philosopher
Philosopher Of Science
Sociologist
University Teacher
Writer
Vienna
Austria
Karl Raimund Popper Sir
Karl Raimund
Sir Popper
Sir Karl Raimund Popper
Better
Highly
Statements
Content
Ones
Greater
Simple
Testable
Less
Prized
Tell
Empirical

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The future is always present, as a promise, a lure and a temptation.
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Some scientists find, or so it seems, that they get their best ideas when smoking others by drinking coffee or whisky. Thus there is no reason why I should not admit that some may get their ideas by observing, or by repeating observations.
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We do not know. We can only guess.
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No particular theory may ever be regarded as absolutely certain.... No scientific theory is sacrosanct.
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I see now more clearly than ever before that even our greatest troubles spring from something that is [as] admirable and sound as it is dangerous – from our impatience to better the lot of our fellows.
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I have insisted that we must be tolerant. But I also believe that this tolerance has its limits. We must not trust those anti-humanitarian religions which not only preach destruction but act accordingly. For if we tolerate them, then we become ourselves responsible for for their deeds.
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Propose theories which can be criticized. Think about possible decisive falsifying experiments-crucial experiments. But do not give up your theories too easily-not, at any rate, before you have critically examined your criticism.
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But some of these theories are so bold that they can clash with reality: they are the testable theories of science. And when they clash, then we know that there is a reality something that can inform us that our ideas are mistaken.
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There is no history, only histories.
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Now this principle of induction cannot be a purely logical truth like a tautology or an analytic statement. . . .
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Thus science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths neither with the collection of observations, nor with the invention of experiments, but with the critical discussion of myths, and of magical techniques and practices.
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The conspiracy theory of society... comes from abandoning god and then asking: Who is in his place
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I may be wrong and you may be right, and by an effort, we may get nearer to the truth
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It is wrong to think that belief in freedom always leads to victory we must always be prepared for it to lead to defeat. If we choose freedom, then we must be prepared to perish along with it.
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I have spoken to Einstein and he admitted to me that his theory was in fact no different from the one of Parmenides.
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In my view, aiming at simplicity and lucidity is a moral duty of all intellectuals: lack of clarity is a sin, and pretentiousness is a crime.
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We never know what we are talking about.
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There is no pure, disinterested, theory-free observation.
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There can be no ultimate statements science: there can be no statements in science which can not be tested, and therefore none which cannot in principle be refuted, by falsifying some of the conclusions which can be deduced from them.
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What really makes science grow is new ideas, including false ideas.
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