Popper's Theory of the Closed Society Conflicts with His Theory of Research

Abstract

Popper's theory of the attraction of closed societies conflicts with his theory of research: the former sees rational thought as contrary to man's nature, whereas the latter sees it as an innate psychological process. This conflict arose because Popper developed a theory of the movement from the closed society—Heimat—to civilized society, which sees civilized society as a burden, before he adapted Selz's view of directed thought processes as problem solving, which sees rationality as natural. Rejecting the earlier view and retaining the latter one opens up possibilities for better explanations of closed societies and better means of combating them.

Critical rationalists much too narrow contribution to Der Positivismusstreit: Alternative political theories which conform to fallibilist, individualist methodologies were needed then and are needed today

“…One may then switch the aim of social science from, on the one hand, explaining how the rational action of individuals leads in sum to social consequences to, on the other hand, the aim of explaining how institutions lead to specific kinds of results. (Wettersten, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2006a, 2006b, 2007, 2009, 2010a, 2010b, 2011, 2012a, 2012b, 2012c, 2013, 2014) On this alternative theory of rational action, the individualist assumption that only individuals act and that individuals are free to choose their actions is maintained. But their rationality is seen to be dependent on institutions.…”