RE: Popper's so-called `recantation' (was The scienceeducators' Vietnam)

Pim van Meurs (entheta@eskimo.com)
Sun, 12 Sep 1999 11:12:59 -0700

SJ: Even using Emmanuelle's words, the point is that Popper did not "improve,
delete, add" a single word, nor even add a footnote, to his paragraph:

"I have come to the conclusion that Darwinism is not a testable scientific
theory, but a metaphysical research programme-a possible framework for
testable scientific theories." (Popper K.R., "Unended Quest: An Intellectual
Autobiography", [1974], Open Court: La Salle, Ill., Revised Edition, 1982,
p168)

First of all the paragraph in its correct context shows that Popper was talking about natural selection. Second of all Popper did recant this, whether or not it made it into his autobiography is plain irrelevant.

Give it up Stephen, Popper recanted and you will just have to accept it.