--- title: "9 Critical Quotes By Karl Popper" description: "9 Critical quotes by Karl Popper. Plus more from Karl Popper and more Critical sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/karl-popper-2167_authority_the-open-society-is-one-in-which-men-hav_2227332.jpg" --- > [The open society is one in which men have learned to be to some extent critical of taboos, and to base decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-open-society-is-one-in-which-men-have-learned-to-be-to-some/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/karl-popper-2167_authority_the-open-society-is-one-in-which-men-hav_2227332.jpg) > [Thus science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths; neither with the collection of observations, nor with the invention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/thus-science-must-begin-with-myths-and-with-the-criticism-of-myths/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/karl-popper-2167_accounts_thus-science-must-begin-with-myths-and-w_703032.jpg) > [The scientific tradition is distinguished from the pre-scientific tradition by having two layers. Like the latter, it passes on its theories; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-scientific-tradition-is-distinguished-from-the-pre-scientific/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/karl-popper-2167_accounts_the-scientific-tradition-is-distinguishe_1690915.jpg) > [Our belief in any particular natural law cannot have a safer basis than our unsuccessful critical attempts to refute it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/our-belief-in-any-particular-natural-law-cannot-have-a-safer-basis/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/karl-popper-2167_bases_our-belief-in-any-particular-natural-law_1449447.jpg) > [It is not his possession of knowledge, of irrefutable truth, that makes the man of science, but his persistent and recklessly critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/it-is-not-his-possession-of-knowledge-of-irrefutable-truth-that-makes/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/karl-popper-2167_adventure_it-is-not-his-possession-of-knowledge-of_542902.jpg) > [The genuine rationalist does not think that he or anyone else is in possession of the truth; nor does he think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-genuine-rationalist-does-not-think-that-he-or-anyone-else-is-in/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/karl-popper-2167_achieve_the-genuine-rationalist-does-not-think-t_2222715.jpg) > [A system such as classical mechanics may be 'scientific' to any degree you like; but those who uphold it dogmatically - believing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/a-system-such-as-classical-mechanics-may-be-scientific-to-any-degree/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/karl-popper-2167_adopting_a-system-such-as-classical-mechanics-may_1306445.jpg) > [ \[Great scientists\] are men of bold ideas, but highly critical of their own ideas: they try to find whether their ideas are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/great-scientists-are-men-of-bold-ideas-but-highly-critical-of-their/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb7/karl-popper-2167_conjecture_great-scientists-are-men-of-bold-ideas-b_1147559.jpg) > [Philosophy is a necessary activity because we, all of us, take a great number of things for granted, and many of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/philosophy-is-a-necessary-activity-because-we-all-of-us-take-a-great/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2cd/karl-popper-2167_assumption_philosophy-is-a-necessary-activity-becau_2408887.jpg) ## Other authors on Critical ## More by Karl Popper > [Science is not a system of certain, or -established, statements; nor is it a system which steadily advances towards a state of finality... And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-not-a-system-of-certain-or-established-statements-nor-is/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“As indicated by our example, methodological nominalism is nowadays fairly generally accepted in the natural sciences. The problems of the social sciences, on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/as-indicated-by-our-example-methodological-nominalism-is-nowadays/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Science is perhaps the only human activity in which errors are systematically criticized and, in time, corrected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-perhaps-the-only-human-activity-in-which-errors-are/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [A system is empirical or scientific only if it is capable of being tested by experience. These considerations suggest that not the verifiability but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/a-system-is-empirical-or-scientific-only-if-it-is-capable-of-being/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Bold ideas, unjustified anticipations, and speculative thought, are our only means for interpreting nature: our only organon, our only instrument, for grasping her. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/bold-ideas-unjustified-anticipations-and-speculative-thought-are-our/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [ \[The aim of science is\] to explain what so far has taken to be an explicans, such as a law of nature. The task… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-aim-of-science-is-to-explain-what-so-far-has-taken-to-be-an/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [There can be no ultimate statements science: there can be no statements in science which can not be tested, and therefore none which cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/there-can-be-no-ultimate-statements-science-there-can-be-no/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Evolution is not a fact. Evolution doesn't even qualify as a theory or as a hypothesis. It is a metaphysical research program, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/evolution-is-not-a-fact-evolution-doesn-t-even-qualify-as-a-theory-or/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [I am opposed to looking upon logic as a kind of game. ... One might think that it is a matter of choice or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/i-am-opposed-to-looking-upon-logic-as-a-kind-of-game-one-might-think/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [The history of science, like the history of all human ideas, is a history of irresponsible dreams, of obstinacy, and of error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-history-of-science-like-the-history-of-all-human-ideas-is-a/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Good tests kill flawed theories; we remain alive to guess again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/good-tests-kill-flawed-theories-we-remain-alive-to-guess-again/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [There is no pure, disinterested, theory-free observation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/there-is-no-pure-disinterested-theory-free-observation/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [We have the right not to tolerate the intolerant. We should tolerate even them whenever we can do so without running a great risk;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/we-have-the-right-not-to-tolerate-the-intolerant-we-should-tolerate/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Better our hypotheses die for our errors than ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/better-our-hypotheses-die-for-our-errors-than-ourselves/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“Every time we proceed to explain some conjectural law or theory by a new conjectural theory of a higher degree of universality, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/every-time-we-proceed-to-explain-some-conjectural-law-or-theory-by-a/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical/karl-popper/#itemlist", "name": "9 Critical Quotes By Karl Popper", "numberOfItems": 9, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The open society is one in which men have learned to be to some extent critical of taboos, and to base decisions on the authority of their own intelligence.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karl Popper" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-open-society-is-one-in-which-men-have-learned-to-be-to-some/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/karl-popper-2167_authority_the-open-society-is-one-in-which-men-hav_2227332.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/karl-popper-2167_authority_the-open-society-is-one-in-which-men-hav_2227332.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/karl-popper-2167_authority_the-open-society-is-one-in-which-men-hav_2227332.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The open society is one in which men have learned to be to some extent critical of taboos, and to base…” — Karl Popper", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Thus science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths; neither with the collection of observations, nor with the invention of experiments, but with the critical discussion of myths, and of magical techniques and practices.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karl Popper" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/thus-science-must-begin-with-myths-and-with-the-criticism-of-myths/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/karl-popper-2167_accounts_thus-science-must-begin-with-myths-and-w_703032.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/karl-popper-2167_accounts_thus-science-must-begin-with-myths-and-w_703032.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/karl-popper-2167_accounts_thus-science-must-begin-with-myths-and-w_703032.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Thus science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths; neither with the collection of…” — Karl Popper", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The scientific tradition is distinguished from the pre-scientific tradition by having two layers. 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But he does think that, in the sphere of ideas, only critical discussion can help us sort the wheat from the chaff.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karl Popper" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-genuine-rationalist-does-not-think-that-he-or-anyone-else-is-in/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/karl-popper-2167_achieve_the-genuine-rationalist-does-not-think-t_2222715.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/karl-popper-2167_achieve_the-genuine-rationalist-does-not-think-t_2222715.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/karl-popper-2167_achieve_the-genuine-rationalist-does-not-think-t_2222715.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The genuine rationalist does not think that he or anyone else is in possession of the truth; nor does he…” — Karl Popper", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A system such as classical mechanics may be 'scientific' to any degree you like; but those who uphold it dogmatically - believing, perhaps, that it is their business to defend such a successful system against criticism as long as it is not conclusively disproved - are adopting the very reverse of that critical attitude which in my view is the proper one for the scientist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karl Popper" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/a-system-such-as-classical-mechanics-may-be-scientific-to-any-degree/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/karl-popper-2167_adopting_a-system-such-as-classical-mechanics-may_1306445.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/karl-popper-2167_adopting_a-system-such-as-classical-mechanics-may_1306445.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/karl-popper-2167_adopting_a-system-such-as-classical-mechanics-may_1306445.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A system such as classical mechanics may be 'scientific' to any degree you like; but those who uphold it…” — Karl Popper", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[Great scientists] are men of bold ideas, but highly critical of their own ideas: they try to find whether their ideas are right by trying first to find whether they are not perhaps wrong. They work with bold conjectures and severe attempts at refuting their own conjectures.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karl Popper" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/great-scientists-are-men-of-bold-ideas-but-highly-critical-of-their/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb7/karl-popper-2167_conjecture_great-scientists-are-men-of-bold-ideas-b_1147559.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb7/karl-popper-2167_conjecture_great-scientists-are-men-of-bold-ideas-b_1147559.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb7/karl-popper-2167_conjecture_great-scientists-are-men-of-bold-ideas-b_1147559.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[Great scientists] are men of bold ideas, but highly critical of their own ideas: they try to find whether…” — Karl Popper", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Philosophy is a necessary activity because we, all of us, take a great number of things for granted, and many of these assumptions are of a philosophical character; we act on them in private life, in politics, in our work, and in every other sphere of our lives -- but while some of these assumptions are no doubt true, it is likely, that more are false and some are harmful. 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