The Carl Popper’s Philosophy and Some Implications for Hometown study

Sanglang+Wengmu+++Yao+Jia

【Abstract】Karl Popper explained the scientific knowledge heads from the problem， proposed criteria of demarcation of scientific knowledge is falsifiability and reveals the scientific knowledge growth from problem to problem. Hometown study is one of the characteristics of anthropology in China， its particularity brings certain advantages and disadvantages. In this study， first， try to explain of the two， then try to get some revelations from Poppers philosophy to hometown study.

【Key words】Karl Popper； falsifiability； hometown study

Popper is one of the most famous philosophers of science in the contemporary western world. HermannBondi said that “there is no more to science than its method， and there is no more to its method than Popper has said” （quoted from Colin Simkin， 1993， p.1）. In Poppers philosophical thought no ultimate source of knowledge， and he opposed as the source and foundation of scientific with investigating and experience. He is going to falsifiability as a criterion of demarcation. Regard science as an endless，ongoing process，the growth of scientific knowledge is the most interesting instances of knowledge growth.

1. No ultimate source of knowledge

Popper thinks the source of knowledge is varied， but no one is authoritative （Popper，1962， p.24）.

1.1 Knowledge does not originate in experience

Criticism of the classic view： observation-induction. The empirical science thinks the knowledge known by experience， that experience is the source of all knowledge. Popper （1962） acknowledged intellectual intuition and imagination is extremely important， but it is not reliable （p. 28）. They can show things to us so clearly， but we may also be misleading. Theory for the future， the experience in the past， a theory has a richer content than experience. Popper （1962） admitted that the most function of observation， intuition and even the imagine is to help us criticize those bold conjecture which we rely on exploring the unknown， but it is not the source of knowledge，we cherish each source（p. 28）.

1.2 Science begins with problems

Popper believed that scientific knowledge begins with the problem， rather than observe， people should learn more knowledge in the process of trying to solve the problem constantly. He thinks that science should be regarded as continuous cycle process continuous deepening fromone problem to another problem（Popper，1962， p.28）. The process of seeking knowledge is mainly because found problems in the reality， then to observation and experimentation with problems， tentative seek theoretical support. This process carries out new criticism or testing of past knowledge or theory combined with the actual situation.

2. The problem of demarcation and falsifiability

Popper consider “the problem of demarcation is more fundamental in all the other problems of the theory of knowledge”， the falsifiability which would enable us to distinguish between the empirical sciences on the one hand， and mathematics and logical as well as “metaphysical” systems on the other is to be taken as a criterion of demarcation （Popper，2005， p.11）.

2.1 The demarcation problem of induction and positivism

Inductivism believes senses experience， thinking that scientific knowledge inductive in repetition， inductive principle admit that the past can be concluded that in the future. But it easy to see， induction can not give the inevitability of future knowledge， cannot prove the inevitability of the future， and also cannot prove the probability of the future， it is can not be guaranteed that will be repeated in the future no matter how many times to repeated in the past.

In modern Western philosophy， the problem of demarcation is first proposed by the logical positivism. They take meaning / meaningless as the criterion of demarcation， the verifiability as the standard for meaning or meaningless can be confirmed as the criterion of demarcation. Popper said theory “never empirically verifiable” （Popper， 2005：18）， he believes such criteria of demarcation “both narrow and wide”. “Narrow” because of positivists wished “to admit， as scientific or legitimate， only those concept（or notion or ideas）which were， as they put it， ‘derived from experience； those concepts， that is which they believed to be logically reducible to elements of sense-experience” （Popper， 2005， p. 11）.“Wide” because it put all the non-scientific thought is meaningless（Zeng Qingfu， 2006， p. 147）.

2.2 The reasonable criteria of demarcation are falsifiability

Popper against inductive methods， and proposed the anti-induction which is falsification. The basic concept of falsification is falsifiability， lead to a solution of the problem of induction.

Falsifiability is reasonable criteria of demarcation. Not the verifiability but the falsifiability of a system is to be taken as a criterion of demarcation. Popper said his “criterion of demarcation will accordingly have to be regarded as a proposal for an agreement or convention”， and he “believes the a reasonable discussion is always possible between parties interested in truth， and ready to pay attention to each other” （Popper， 2005， p.15）.

Popper advocated all proposition is scientificonly be falsifiable by the empirical， he stated that science should be falsifiable in principle， the scientific status of theory or proposition is determined by its falsifiability or refutability or testability. Such as “The swan is white” “That hat is red” and other singular statements can be verifiable by empirical facts， but in the logical view， no matter there is how many singular statements， we still cannot deduce the correctness of universal statement. Even if we observed a thousand swans are white， also can not prove that all swans are white， so we cannot verifiable a statement through experience. But on the contrary， universal statements can be falsified by a singular statement， just one counter-example is enough conclusive falsified the corresponding general rule. For example， the swan is not white， or there have other colors swan are able to falsifiable the “all swans are white”. To verified a theory need unlimited experiences， but falsified a theory just need one counter-example， falsifiabilityis fundamental nature of scientific theory.

Falsifications raised that scientific knowledge is continuing to move forward， it is a continuous improvement process of constant regeneration. Any theory no matter how advanced， it just more advanced than the past， only mean that constantly improves and close to the truth. So Popper concluded， “I may be wrong and you may be right， and by an effort， we may get nearer to the truth” （Popper， 1962， chapter24）.

3. The model of the growth of scientific knowledge

Popper put forward the scientific knowledge growth model which also a kind of trail and error-elimination. He believes that science is growing， and it is the never-ending process，the growth of knowledge can be studied best by studying the growth of scientific knowledge.

This model can be expressed as P1-TT-EE-P2 （Popper， 2002， p. 152）.

P1 means science begins with problem and ends with problems. The problem is the conflict and contradiction coming from the internal of the theory， or between different theories， or between the theory and observation， it leads people to learn and research.

TT means a tentative theory. A tentative theory is raised in order to solve the problem. All theory is tentative； the tentative theory is the best one which can cause more profound and unexpected sub problems of theory.

EE means in an attempt at error elimination. To critical discussion， refute， error-elimination or falsified of the tentative hypothesis or hypotheses，then improve the degree of falsification of theory， and screening out the theory which has a higher degree of verisimilitude.

P2 means rise to new problems. Every theory will be constantly challenged， the temporary theory which was confirmed always arise new problems in the process of continuously falsify， new problems usually have a greater depth than the old one. Scientific knowledge is growing in this cycle.

4. Revelation of Poppers philosophy to hometown study

4.1 The necessity of hometown study

“Hometown study” is characteristic of China in the field of anthropology （Ba Zhanlong， 2009， p. 80）. When Malinowski prefaced the Fei Xiaotongs book， he said： “If it is true that self-knowledge is the most difficult to gain， then undoubtedly anthropology of ones own people is the most arduous， but also the most valuable achievement of a fieldwork” （Fei Xiaotong， 1939， xii）. Similarly， in the preface the Yang Maochuns book， Linton who is the tutor of Yang Maochun， epitomizes of in the history of anthropology ，said “It's safe to predict that the most valuable contribution to social science will come from those scientists because of the double cultural participation， thus， can get the facts and theoretical system without bias” （Yang Maochun， 2012， vii 5）. The author believe that throw away all the knowledge accumulation， the accumulation of experience， and the academic ability， there must be two premises to make a meaningful research： interest and familiar.

4.2 The strengths and weaknesses of hometown study

Chinese anthropologists Hu Hongbao think that researcher in the process of hometown study easy to full of s strong sense of the own national cultural center， on the other hand， compared with foreign nation researchers the native scholars have advantages of enculturation that can reveal the phenomenon and its connotations which are more difficult to be grasped and discovered （Hu Hongbao， 1998， p. 72）. Hu Hongbao also quoted the strengths and weaknesses of hometown anthropologist summed up by Japanese anthropologist Mochengdaonan， there are three strengths： 1）more understanding and more are easy to approach the participants.2） Have the same views. 3） Share common social and political value. Three weakness： 1） slow to respond to unconscious factors. 2） Bound self in own culture. 3） Difficult to remain neutral （Hu Hongbao， 1998， p. 74）.

4.3 The revelation of Poppers philosophy to hometown study

Found the fundamental problem on the basis of careful observation. Popper thinks that any scientific knowledge is beginning of the problem； the problem means something going wrong. Most researchers of hometown study are enthusiastic about own hometown， and to fully feel and realize social changes in the hometown. The hometown study researcher need to learn to observe the around things under different cultural background， comparison of social change under different cultural backgrounds， try to discover the problem. The key to research is to articulate the problem， identify the root of the problem. The researchers should have the critical spirit of authority； tentative applied the existing number of universal theoretical knowledge to the problem of the hometown， the theoretical knowledge compares and adoption with the actual situation of hometown， eventually like Popper knowledge growth model to find a temporary confirmation applicable theory.

Dare to make mistakes have the courage to accept criticism. The starting and ending of hometown study is the more beautiful and happiness hometown， the researcher need to pursuit continue to progress， devote themselves to constant maintenance of the resulting conclusions. The theory will be constantly verification and test in practice， pushed for fuller evidence for the theory，to accept more severe test and describe more profound problems， and actively contribute to the social development and people's happy life in hometown. The hometown study researcher have to learn to overcome the binding and objectivity cause by self-culture consciousness， they must hold a conscious attitude of self-criticism and criticism of others. Researchers should actively expand their own horizons， not afraid to reveal their mistakes， face the problem in courage and ability， accepted the widely challenge and criticize， find out the knowledge closer to the truth with reflection and correction to the error， evolution of theory and knowledge in the process of error-elimination，in order to better guide the practice， to achieve a more harmonious social and cultural status.

Do research in the equality and respect. Researchers have the courage to point out his own shortcomings， in order to give other people's thinking space， in the face of the shortcomings of others also to be fair and objective， equality and respect for each person and knowledge. No one is perfect， scientific research is the effective way to our real life close to perfect. Actually， any of our academic research should be a process of falsified the theory or growth of the knowledge. The greatest contribution of the research is the falsification of theory knowledge in order to take an approach for later， or raise a more precise and deeper problem because new thinking peace for future generations.

Hometown study is an affair of not only a man， a nation but also of the whole human beings. In the perspective of holistic and development， the universe as a whole， all the things like air， sunshine， landscapes and so on are the shared resources， all of us belong to the whole. Highly developed science and technology do not represent the degree of human civilization， any civilized society or civilization should learn to control their ever-expanding desires， everyone should have the quality of the restraint and respect every life. No one have the privilege to have the shared resources for self-own， no one has any right to hurt any of life. Like the philosophical question of popper said，“it is the problem of cosmology： the problem of understanding the world—including ourselves， and our knowledge， as part of the world.” and “all science is cosmology”（Karl Popper， 2005， xi）. It is a momentum which should all academic research has.

References：

[1]Fei Xiaotong（1939）.Peasant Life in China.London，EC： Routledge press.

[2]Karl Popper（1962）.Open Society and Its Enemies.London，EC： Routledge press.

[3]Karl Popper（1986）.Conjectures and Refutations.Shanghai，SH： Shanghai Translation Publishing House.

[4]Colin Simkin（1993）.Poppers View on Natural and Social Science.New York，NY：E.J.Brill.

Nicholas Comninellis（2001）.Creative Defense：Evidence Against Evolution.Green Forest，AR：Master Books，Inc.

[5]Karl Popper（2002）.Unended Quest：An Intellectual Autobiolographyp.London，EC：Routledge.

[6]Karl Popper（2005）.The Logic of Scientific Discover.London，EC：Poutledge

[7]Yang Maochun（2012）.A Chinese Village：Taitou，Shantung Province.（Zhang Xiong & Shen Wei & Qin Meizhu）.Nanjing，JS： Jiangsu People's Publishing House.（Original work published 1945）

[8]Hu Hongbao（1998）.Anthropological Traditions in Chinese Sociological.Heilongjiang National Series，4，70-74.

[9]Zeng Qingfu（2006）.Evaluation of Popper Refutation.Journal of the PartySchool of CPCZhengzhou Municipal Committee， 4，147-151.

[10]Ba Zhanlong（2009）.Reflection and Defense Hometown Studies in Anthropology.Journal of Research on Education for Ethnic Minorities，2（23），5-8.

[11]Karl Popper（1963）.Conjectures and Refutations.Available at：http：//xxsy.library.nenu.edu.cn/pluginfile.php/1066/mod_resource/content/1/%5BKarl_Popper%5D_Conjectures_and_Refutations_The_Gro（Bookos.org）%20（1）.pdf

About the author：

Sanglang Wengmu， Female， （1984-）， Tibetan， Ganzi Sichuan Province， Lecturer at College of Education Science in Sichuan Normal University， Master Degree Candidate， Field of study： Multiculturalism and Education.

Yao Jia， Female，（1984-）， Manchu， Jinzhou city Liaoning Province， Lecturer at College of Education Science in Sichuan Normal University， Master Degree Candidate， Field of study： Multiculturalism and Education.

作者簡(jiǎn)介：

桑朗翁姆（1984-），女，藏族，四川甘孜州人，四川師范大學(xué)教育科學(xué)學(xué)院講師，研究方向：多元文化與教育。

姚佳（1984-），女，滿族，遼寧錦州人，四川師范大學(xué)教育科學(xué)學(xué)院講師，研究方向：多元文化與教育。