Karl Popper’s Logic Of Scientific Research

The free and open social environment, the rapidly developing natural science and the plight of logical positivism constitute the theoretical origin and historical background of Popper’s scientific research. For the first time, Popper added the logic of scientific research into the nature of science, conducted a systematic and in-depth discussion, and finally formed his own opinion, which was different from logical positivism and historicism. In the history of western philosophy, Popper’s scientific research has left a glorious page.Through the systematic analysis on the boundary problem of science and non-science, the logic of scientific knowledge growth and the methods of scientific research, etc,it can be seen that, on the basis of objecting to the logical positivism, Popper has proposed his own concept of scientific development, and built the falsificationism, which was used to apart the science from non-science. Boundary and induction problems constitute the ideological basis of Popper’s scientific philosophy, which was also his most important starting point. Thus, the conclusions are as the following:(1) A scientific theory is a tentative explanation against the scientific issues. As a new method of scientific test, Popper’s falsifiability makes this explanation closer to the truth, which reflects a kind of different critical attitude, and eventually formed Popper’s falsification system;(2) Compared with traditional philosophy, Popper’s logic of scientific knowledge growth pays more attention on the spirit of criticism. His four-period logic changes the science from the static structure into the dynamic pattern of scientific development, while, the critical spirit is precisely the inevitable requirement of scientific development process;(3) The property of science is speculation, science begins with questions, science can be falsified by experience, science itself is constantly moving forward in trial and error. The courage to "trial and error" is a feature of scientific research and practical activities, which severely counters the viewpoint that science begins with the inaccuracy of observation and generalization, and the viewpoint is advocated by traditional logical positivism.The logic of Popper’s scientific research was formed on the basis of inheriting and criticizing the traditional theory of scientific research. It has enriched and developed the traditional theories of scientific research. His scientific research methodology, especially his ideology of scientific research logic, has a relative large widening and enlightening function on the scientific thinking of contemporary scientists. Thus, it has an important realistic meaning for scientific research, especially for China’s scientific research and development.