Karl Popper - The Open Society and its Enemies

I'll take a break from Mumford to discuss Popper. Some comments on the megamachine first though. Me and some friends were in Port Orchard looking across at the shipyard and wondering why the Armed Forces, who have outsourced so much, still produce Navy ships. We saw that the Air Force buys planes from other companies, weapons as well. The Naval shipyard is a modern example of the megamachine. It requires the mobilizations of much labor and the accountability of the chain of command.

Karl Poppers book critics the methods of the social sciences, what he calls historicism. His critic is situated in the context of the totalitarian and fascists states in the 1930's. He see the argument that the phenomenon of fascism was inevitable as an social impotence born from the dominance of historicism in the social sciences. (Popper, 2) Historicism means the belief that we can look at the past and draw scientific laws of history that allow us to give historical prophecies. (Popper, 3) The belief in this "metaphysics of history" prevents us from effectively applying science to the reform of social problems.

Popper gives psychological explanations for the desire of some, usually leaders or elite cirlces, to give prophecy, and the willingness of others to follow it. Those prophesying apocalypse give expression to a feeling of dissatisfaction and alienation with current conditions. By using the method of prophecy, humans can write off any calamity as inevitable, and rid themselves of the responsibility of attempting to change repressive situations. (Popper, 4) Popper wants to save the social sciences from its fall into historicism, but fears that many have already given up on reason and social science because they cannot conceptualize it without the prophetic undertones. Historicism appeals to us because we are not satisfied with "...a world which does not, and cannot, live up to our moral ideals and to our dreams of perfection." (Popper, 5)
Historicism is a reaction against the ideal of individual responsibility held so highly in our society.

Popper discusses Plato at length, as a founding father of historicism, following Heraclitus. Plato holds that tenet of historicism, that it is the ruling elite which must be concentrated upon as the vehicle of social change, and not the blind masses who simply follow the whims of the chosen few. He also attempted to explain laws regulating the evolution of political society.