Plato and K.R. Popper: toward a critique of Plato's political philosophy

Article Abstract:

Karl Popper demystified Plato's political philosophy in his work entitled 'The Open Society and Its Enemies.' Popper's critical rationalism led him to accuse Plato of dishonesty regarding Plato's attack on democratic equality. He also called Plato a coward, in reference to Plato's 'The Republic.' However, Popper was also criticized for his criticisms of Plato. These critics argue that Popper's criticisms are more for discovering mistakes than for searching for merits in Plato's works. They also argue that Plato's philosophy should not be criticized using contemporary frameworks.

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Karl Popper's political philosophy of social science

Article Abstract:

Karl Popper, in his attempt to prove the feasibility of a unified methodology for the natural sciences and social sciences, has accidentally provided significant reasons for treating the two fields separately. He has pointed out basic moral and ethical rules and methods such as situational analysis and 'piecemeal social engineering' that are prevalent in the social sciences but with no logical equivalent in the natural sciences. Furthermore, Popper's call for a unified methodology for the natural and social sciences is more ethically than logically and intellectually driven.

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Popper's Plato

Article Abstract:

Karl Popper criticized Plato's political philosophy in his book entitled 'The Open Society and Its Enemies.' Popper revealed several antiliberal and anti-democratic sentiments in Plato's ideas. He accused Plato of being a totalitarian, racist and historicist and denounced Plato's work, 'The Republic,' as a work espousing racism. Popper received plenty of criticisms for his attacks on Plato but it can not be argued that 'The Open Society and Its Enemies' has become the basis for present conceptions of Plato's political philosophy.

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