The Myth of the Framework: In Defence of Science and Rationality is a 1994 collection of essays and lectures by philosopher Karl Popper, edited by Mark Amadeus Notturno and published by Routledge.[1][2] The book defends Popper's critical rationalism and argues for the value of science and rational inquiry while criticizing both scientistic exaggerations associated with some forms of positivism and the relativism Popper saw as undermining rational criticism.[3]
The title essay, "The Myth of the Framework", addresses Popper's view that a key source of modern irrationalism is relativism—the idea that truth is relative to an intellectual "framework"—and discusses arguments associated with Quine, Kuhn and Whorf.[4]
Background and publication
Routledge describes the volume as a collection of Popper's major writings on science and rationality, assembled and edited by Notturno, and published in cooperation with the Central European University.[3] The collection draws together material Popper originally wrote for a range of occasions; a contemporary academic review characterized it as consisting of papers and lectures from the period 1958–1973.[5]
Several chapters had earlier publication histories. For example, the title essay first appeared in an essay collection in the 1970s and was later reprinted; it also appeared as a chapter in a 1987 edited volume in the Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science series.[1][4]
Contents
The book contains an introduction, nine chapters, and an editor's afterword.[3][1] Routledge's table of contents lists the chapters as:[3]
"The Rationality of Scientific Revolutions"
"The Myth of the Framework"
"Reason or Revolution?" (with an addendum on the Frankfurt School in some editions)[1]
"Science: Problems, Aims, Responsibilities"
"Philosophy and Physics"
"The Moral Responsibility of the Scientist"
"A Pluralist Approach to the Philosophy of History"
"Models, Instruments, and Truth"
"Epistemology and Industrialization"
Publisher descriptions summarize the collection as addressing, among other topics, the aims of science, the role of science in civilization, the moral responsibility of scientists, the university's function, and debates about reason and revolution.[2][3]
The "myth of the framework"
In Popper's account, the "myth of the framework" is the idea—associated with relativism—that meaningful rational discussion and mutual understanding are impossible unless interlocutors share a common conceptual scheme (or agree on one).[4] Against this, Popper argues that critical discussion across differing viewpoints is possible and can be intellectually fruitful, and he treats this as central to the defense of science and rationality presented in the collection.[4][3]
Reception
The book was reviewed in several philosophy and history of science journals, including:
A paperback edition was issued in 1996 (with later reprints), and an audiobook edition has also been listed in bibliographic records.[1] Bibliographic listings also record multiple translations, including Italian (1995), Spanish (1997), and Japanese (1998).[1]
Bird, Alexander (1996). "Karl Popper, The Myth of the Framework … (Book review)". The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. 47 (1): 149–151. doi:10.1093/bjps/47.1.149.
Koertge, Noretta (1997). "Karl R. Popper, The Myth of the Framework: In Defence of Science and Rationality … (Book review)". Philosophy of Science. 64 (1): 182–184. doi:10.1086/392543.
Watkins, John (1996). "The Myth of the Framework: In defence of science and rationality … (Book review)". Philosophy. 71 (276): 315. doi:10.1017/S0031819100041553.
Motterlini, Matteo (1999). "The Myth of the Framework: In Defence of Science and Rationality … (Book review)". Isis. 90 (3): 639–641. doi:10.1086/384498.
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