The Poverty of Historicism

1. Auflage 2002
ISBN: 978-0-415-27845-4
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 170 Seiten, Format (B × H): 129 mm x 198 mm, Gewicht: 272 g

Reihe: Routledge Classics

Karl Popper’s ‘The Poverty of Historicism’ is one of the most important books on the social sciences to have appeared since the Second World War. It is also the work of one of the most original thinkers of the 20th century, and a devastating criticism of the idea that there are laws of development in history and that human beings are able to discover them. Popper dedicated the book to all those ‘who fell victim to the fascist and communist belief in inexorable Laws of Historical Destiny’. Short and lucidly written, it has inspired generations of philosophers, historians, politicians, and others, and remains one of the best books for gaining an insight into the ideas of this great thinker.

Zielgruppe

General

Autoren/Hrsg.

Popper, Karl

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Soziologie Allgemein Gesellschaftstheorie
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Sozialphilosophie, Politische Philosophie
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Theorie, Politische Philosophie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Historical Note Preface Introduction I The Anti-Naturalistic Doctrines of Historicism 1 Generalization 2 Experiment 3 Novelty 4 Complexity 5 Inexactitude of Prediction 6 Objectivity and Valuation 7 Holism 8 Intuitive Understanding 9 Quantitative Methods 10 Essentialism versus Nominalism II The Pro-Naturalistic Doctrines of Historicism 11 Comparison with Astronomy. Long-Term Forecasts and Large-Scale Forecasts 12 The Observational Basis 13 Social Dynamics 14 Historical Laws 15 Historical Prophecy versus Social Engineering 16 The Theory of Historical Development 17 Interpreting versus Planning Social Change 18 Conclusion of the Analysis III Criticism of the Anti-Naturalistic Doctrines 19 Practical Aims of this Criticism 20 The Technological Approach to Sociology 21 Piecemeal versus Utopian Engineering 22 The Unholy Alliance with Utopianism 23 Criticism of Holism 24 The Holistic Theory of Social Experiments 25 The Variability of Experimental Conditions 26 Are Generalizations Confined to Periods? IV Criticism of the Pro-Naturalistic Doctrines 27 Is there a Law of Evolution? Laws and Trends 28 The Method of Reduction. Causal Explanation. Prediction and Prophecy 29 The Unity of Method 30 Theoretical and Historical Sciences 31 Situational Logic in History. Historical Interpretation 32 The Institutional Theory of Progress 33 Conclusion. The Emotional Appeal of Historicism Index.

Über Autor(innen)

Karl Popper (1902-94) philosopher, born in Vienna. One of the most influential and controversial thinkers of the 20th century.