Education in the Open Society

The aim of this text is to present an outline of a Popperian theory of education, exploring the political, psychological and pedagogic concerns that offer structure to such a theory. It is argued that epistemology, or the theory of knowledge, must lie at the heart of every educational theory, whether it is made explicit or not. By examining the implications of those aspects of Popper's philosophy, politics and psychology that relate to education and learning, it is hoped that this area can begin to benefit from the opportunities enjoyed by those disciplines in which Popperian analysis is already accepted as an important contribution. The approach adopted is to trace an epistemological thread that unites the different aspects of Popperian philosophy, and to extrapolate from that thread towards the elements required for a satisfactory theory of education, focusing upon the growth of knowledge, within the individual, within a discipline and within the wider society. It also attempts to place educational concerns within Popper's overall system.