Popperian cosmology
Popperian cosmology is Karl Popper's philosophical theory of reality that includes three interacting worlds, called World 1, World 2 and World 3. Popperian cosmology also includes Karl Popper's theory of objective epistemology, also known as his theory of falsifiability.
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Worlds 1, 2 and 3
Popperian cosmology splits the universe into three interacting sub-universes:
- World 1: the world of physical objects and events, including biological entities
- World 2: the world of mental objects and events
- World 3: the world of the products of the human mind
The main argument for the existence of World 2 and World 3 is the direct or indirect causation on World 1.
The interaction of World 1 and World 2
The theory of interaction between World 1 and World 2 is an alternative theory to materialism and Cartesian dualism. Both materialism and Cartesian dualism are based on the theory that the universe is composed of essential substances. Popperian cosmology claims that essentialism is untenable due to the modern developments in physics, in particular Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism.
The interaction of World 1 and World 2 is also an alternative to epiphenomenalism, where World 2 objects and events are real but do not have any causal action on World 1. Popperian cosmology rejects this for the reason that "downward causation" is not impossible, since the Darwinist theory of evolution supports the theory of creative emergence in the universe, leading to the rejection of reductionism.
World 3
Popperian cosmology claims the existence of a third world called World 3, which contains the products of the human mind. World 3 contains abstract objects such as scientific theories, stories, myths, tools, social institutions, and works of art. Karl Popper's theory of objective knowledge belongs to World 3. Scientific theories are formed in World 3, which enable them to be criticised and to be potentially falsified.
The interaction of World 2 and World 3
The interaction of World 2 and World 3 is based on the theory that World 3 is partially autonomous. For example, the development of scientific theories in World 3 leads to unintended consequences, in that problems and contradictions are discovered by World 2. Another example is that the process of learning causes World 3 to change World 2.
Works
- Objective Knowledge: An Evolutionary Approach, 1972
- The Self and Its Brain: An Argument for Interactionism (with Sir John C. Eccles), 1977
- The Open Universe: An Argument for Indeterminism, 1982
External links
- Three Worlds by Karl Popper - The Tanner Lecture on Human Values
- A Critical Assessment of the Philosophy of Karl Popper