Karl Popper · Philosophy

Critical Rationalism and the Paradox of Tolerance

Popper’s ethic for a free society: since we are all fallible, rationality means an openness to being corrected - ‘I may be wrong and you may be right’ - and truth is approached only through free criticism. From this follows his famous paradox: to preserve tolerance, a tolerant society must not extend unlimited tolerance to those who would destroy it.

What you'll be able to recall

You learned that Popper’s critical rationalism is the fallibilist attitude ‘I may be wrong and you may be right, and by an effort, we may get nearer to the truth,’ that we approach truth only through criticism, and that this yields the paradox of tolerance - unlimited tolerance destroys tolerance. Ex…

Leads to John Stuart Mill.

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