Karl Popper proposed that scientific knowledge is provisional and falsifiable rather than absolutely certain or proven true. He rejected the traditional view that science discovers descriptive laws through induction from facts. Instead, he argued that scientific theories can never be proven true but can be tested by attempting to falsify them through experiments and observations. This view resolved issues with the logical problem of induction and provided a rationale for how scientific knowledge advances through falsification of theories.

1. Karl Popper Quote: “ All knowledge is provisional, temporary, capable of refutation at any moment”

3. The nature and status of sociological research has always been an area of controversy. Thus it makes sense to understand a little about the nature of the scientific method, because until we can grasp the nature of science we cannot hope to understand how, or whether, sociology fits into it. Introduction

4. Why Popper? Since we have to make comparisons we need to know to what it is that sociology is being compared. A good starting point is the work of Karl Popper, particularly since he debunks many of the cherished common sense beliefs concerning the logic of scientific inquiry.

13. The popular notion that the sciences are bodies of established fact is entirely mistaken. Nothing in science is permanently established, nothing unalterable. Thus...

14. What Science does based on 'truth' What scientists do is base decisions and expectations on the best of our knowledge and provisionally assume the 'truth' of that knowledge for practical purposes, because it is the least insecure foundation available.

22. Next Up… Thomas Kuhn