Re: Subject: [Marxism] Popper

["Nestor Gorojovsky" <nestorgoro@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Respuesta a: Subject: [Marxism] Popper
Remitido por: paul illich
Fecha: Viernes 31 de Diciembre de 2004 
Hora: 23:49
*****

> Popper's point was that Darwin's theory of evolution is not testable

This is not "Popper's point", if you come to think of it.

"Scientific method" is, in the end, simply a codification and 
formalization of the practical research on Nature that the trial-and-
error process implies.

It requires the possibility to repeat an experience, which of course 
is not possible in the case of basic theories unless you have some 
additional Universe to play with.  In this sense, the Big Bang theory 
is not testable.  There is no way to establish whether a "Big Bang" 
could NOT happen under certain conditions.

The kernel of Popperian epistemology (which also lies beneath his 
politics!) is methodological individualism and the separation between 
object and subject.  This is why he can't consider "evolution" 
scientific.  Of course he can't test it.  Nobody can, unless one has 
an alternative planet to play with.

My pun, which originated -rather unexpectedly- this thread pointed to 
the fact that there _has_ been an evolution in the material world, 
which among other consequences brought people such as Popper to the 
status of Homo sapiens and not of Wormus ignorans (which they perhaps 
would have fitted better, and, yes, I positively know that this is 
not the high level in which this debate should be processed).

_My_ problem with Popper is that mainstream Popperian sociologists 
nurtured the ranks of the batallions of "advanced" sociology of the 
Argentinean Proceso of 1976-1983.  Thus, as you can see, I cannot but 
feel somehow uncomfortable with this type.

Néstor Miguel Gorojovsky
nestorgoro@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 
"Sí, una sola debe ser la patria de los sudamericanos".
Simón Bolívar al gobierno secesionista y disgregador de 
Buenos Aires, 1822
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