| Karl Popper is arguably the most influential philosopher of natural science of the twentieth century. Although his influence on academic philosophers is perhaps not as great as that of several other philosophers of science, Popper’s impact on working scientists remains second to none.When asked to reflect on the method of science, contemporary scientists, if they do not directly invoke Popper’s name, more often than not will cite Popperian ideas. Science, they will say, requires commitment to severe testing of theories, a scientific community dedicated to such critical scrutiny, and, above all, theories that are empirically falsifiable. All this is Popper’s legacy. |