Karl Popper a problém indukce

Ing. Mgr. Ondřej SLOUP

Doctoral thesis

Karl Popper and the Problem of Induction

Abstract:

Svojí nejširší orientací se tato disertační práce zabývá Popperovou filosofií vědy, jejím specifičtějším zaměřením je pak řešení problému indukce v rámci kriticko-racionalistické myšlenkové tradice. Jako kriticko-racionalistická je v této práci označována ta rozvíjející se filosofická či přesněji epistemologická koncepce, která se zabývá tím, jak bychom měli přistupovat k poznání. Zatímco tradiční epistemologie považuje poznání za něco, co musí být v základu jisté a zdůvodněné, kritický racionalismus je specifický postojem, kdy prohlašuje, že nemáme žádné konečné odpovědi a samotná pravda je pak pro nás věčným hledáním. Domníváme se, že problém indukce představuje styčný bod, na kterém lze pochopit specifika Popperova unikátního přístupu k filosofii a vědecké metodologii. Bližší analýza Popperova řešení a následujících debat na toto téma nám může pomoci snáze identifikovat slabší a silnější místa jeho vědecké metody a přesněji ustavit jeho místo v dějinách filosofie vědy. Zvolená výzkumná otázka zní tedy v její nejširší podobě následovně: Podařilo se Popperovi či kritickému racionalismu vyřešit problém indukce?

Abstract:

Can we justify the opinion that the future will be to a significant extent similar to the past? That is the tone in which David Hume defined the nowadays traditional version of the problem of induction in the 18th century England and the striving for justification of induction judgments bothers philosophers even 250 years after his death. The Austrian-British philosopher Karl Popper believed that he had successfully solved this vital philosophical problem, nonetheless the prevailing consensus of philosophers of science thinks otherwise. In its widest focus this dissertation deals with Popper's philosophy of science, at its centre then lies the solution of the problem of induction within the critical-rationalist tradition of thought. The chosen research question is in its widest form thus defined: Has Popper or critical rationalism succeeded at solving the problem of induction? The dissertation's text itself can be divided into four main units. The first one is historical excursion tracing the genesis of Popper's opinions in Vienna of the 1930's. This part analyses also the process itself and the circumstances of drafting Popper's early work The Two Fundamental Problems of the Theory of Knowledge which represents a tool necessary for Popperian scholars who are given by it a key to understanding of formation of Popper's mature views. Second unit creates a context between Hume's solution of the problem of induction and Popper's original attitude. Within it, Popper rejects induction but unlike Hume he finds for philosophy and above all for science a non-destructive way forward. The analysis of Poper's solution is followed by its (critical) reflection wherein the key objections are represented by John Worrall and Wes Salmon. They deal with the impossibility of presenting any prediction of the future within critical rationalism under the condition that utter rejection of induction is defined as the initial requirement. Approaching the end of the respective unit, Popper's solution is assessed with regard to the mentioned objections and within it, current state of the debate is discussed. In the third unit we abandon Popper's solution and focus on the development of critical rationalism by Popper's students. Because Alan Musgrave as well as William Bartley were those who have decided to modify the Popperian basis and based on that alteration bring such a solution of the problem of induction that would stand against the above mentioned critical objections. The final unit presents a reliabilist solution of the problem of induction defining its attitude towards science on the basis of thoughts of philosophical naturalism. Simultaneously, identical points of critical rationalism and reliabilist epistemology are described. At the very end it is attempted to synthesize both approaches to knowledge but also to everyday reality of which science is an inseparable part. Despite the current prevailing Anglo-Saxon opinion condemning Popper's solution across the whole of his works, we believe that search for validity of the Propperian solution of the problem of induction as well as the honest attempt to open up a discussion of the given topic with the goal of finding a contemporary winner of the critical debate are not needless.

Keywords

Karl Popper, kritický racionalismus, problém indukce, filosofie vědy, reliabilismus

Language used: Czech

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 26. 8. 2016

Accessible from:: 31. 12. 2999

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: PhDr. Vladimír Havlík, CSc.

University of West Bohemia

Faculty of Philosophy and Arts

Doctoral programme / field:
Humanities Studies / Theory and History of Science and Technology