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.

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 Cartesian dualism. Cartesian dualism is based on the theory that the universe is composed of two essential substances: Res Cogitans and Res Extensa. Popperian cosmology rejects this essentialism, but maintains the common sense view that physical and mental states exist, and they interact.

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.

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.

The interaction of World 1 and World 3

Contained in World 3 are also things as feats of engineering and art. The World 3 objects, although extant in World 1, are embodied and given extra meaning by World 3. For example, the intrinsic value of Hamlet as a World 3 object has many embodiments in World 1, the physical world. This idea would be something along the lines of a meta-object, or a form of a being.

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
*"Knowledge and the Body-Mind Problem", 1994.

External links

* [http://www.tannerlectures.utah.edu/lectures/documents/popper80.pdf Three Worlds by Karl Popper - The Tanner Lecture on Human Values] Delivered by Karl Popper at The University of Michigan on April 7, 1978.