Repository | Series | Book | Chapter
Popper's communitarianism
pp. 287-303
Abstract
In this chapter, I argue that Karl Popper was a communitarian philosopher. This will surprise some readers. Liberals often tout Popper as one of their champions. Indeed, there is no doubt that Popper shared much in common with liberals. However, I will argue that Popper rejected a central, though perhaps not essential, pillar of liberal theory, namely, individualism. This claim may seem to contradict Popper's professed methodological individualism. Yet I argue that Popper was a methodological individualist in name only. In fact, methodological individualism faded from Popper's vocabulary as he moved institutions and situational analysis more firmly to centre-stage. Popper's focus on institutions and situations constitutes what I call his communitarianism. If my interpretation is correct, then theorists in the socio logy of scientific knowledge and communitarian epistemology should reconsider their long-standing distrust of Popper's philosophy. Indeed, they may have much to gain by treating Popper as a friend rather than a foe.
Publication details
Published in:
Parusniková Zuzana, Cohen Robert S (2009) Rethinking Popper. Dordrecht, Springer.
Pages: 287-303
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-9338-8_22
Full citation:
Kochan Jeff (2009) „Popper's communitarianism“, In: Z. Parusniková & R.S. Cohen (eds.), Rethinking Popper, Dordrecht, Springer, 287–303.