In a letter of 1932, Karl Popper described "Die Beiden Grundrpobleme der Erkenntnistheorie" - 'The Two Fundamental Problems of Knowledge' - as .,."a child of crises, ... above all of ... the crisis of physics. It asserts the permanence of crisis; if it is right, then crisis is the normal state of a highly developed rational science." Finally available in English for the first time, it is a major contribution to the philosophy of science and twentieth century philosophy generally.
Drawing on important research Popper carried out between 1930 and 1933, "Die Beiden Grundrpobleme der Erkenntnistheor"ie was not published in German until the early 1980's. The two fundamental problems of knowledge that lie at the center of the book are the problems of "induction," the theory that although we are only able to observe a limited number of particular events, science nevertheless advances universal statements; and the problem of "demarcation"; what separates empirical science from non-science?
Popper seeks to solve these two basic problems with his celebrated theory of falsificationism. He argues that science is separated from non-science not by the verifiability but by the falsifiability of its theories. Popper also argues that science is not inductive but ultimately deductive; it does not start out from observations and generalize from them, as many presumed, but starts with problems, which it attacks with bold conjectures.
As such, "The Two Fundamental Problems of Knowledge" contains many of the celebrated arguments that were to later find full expression in Popper's most celebrated work, "The Logic of Scientific Discovery," It is therefore essential reading for anyone interested inKarl Popper, the history and philosophy of science, and the methods and theories of science itself.

In a letter of 1932, Karl Popper described Die beiden Grundprobleme der Erkenntnistheorie The Two Fundamental Problems of the Theory of Knowledge as a child of crises, above all of the crisis of physics.

Finally available in English, it is a major contribution to the philosophy of science, epistemology and twentieth century philosophy generally.
The two fundamental problems of knowledge that lie at the centre of the book are the problem of induction, that although we are able to observe only a limited number of particular events, science nevertheless advances unrestricted universal statements; and the problem of demarcation, which asks for a separating line between empirical science and non-science.

Popper seeks to solve these two basic problems with his celebrated theory of falsifiability, arguing that the inferences made in science are not inductive but deductive; science does not start with observations and proceed to generalise them but with problems, which it attacks with bold conjectures.

The Two Fundamental Problems of the Theory of Knowledge is essential reading for anyone interested in Karl Popper, in the history and philosophy of science, and in the methods and theories of science itself.
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English summary: In his investigations of the problem of induction and the problem of demarcation - the two fundamental problems of the theory of knowledge - Popper criticizes in great detail apriorism (Kant, Fries and Nelson) and logical positivism (Wittgenstein, Schlick and Carnap). He also gives a severe criticism of conventionalism (Poincare, Duhem and Dingler), and presents his own new and distinct solution to the two problems: There is no such thing as induction, and it is only using the criterion of falsifiability and methodological rules that makes it possible to distinguish between empirical sciences on the one hand and mathematics, logic and metaphysics on the other. It was not until 1979 that the remaining manuscripts were published, along with an introduction and many new notes by Popper. And it was not until 2009 that an English translation was published (Routledge). To this new edition two new appendices (1993), a postscript (2010) and many new notes have been added.If you would like to receive a special brochure on Karl Popper's Gesammelte Werke, please contact us. German description: Zwei Fragen sind die Brennpunkte dieser Untersuchung: Das (Humesche) Induktionsproblem und das Abgrenzungsproblem (Kants Frage nach den Grenzen der wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnis). Karl Popper entwickelt systematisch die wichtigsten Losungsversuche dieser beiden Grundprobleme und zeigt, wie die inneren Widerspruche jeder Position zwangslaufig zum nachsten Losungsversuch fuhren. Popper setzt sich mit dem Apriorismus (Kant, Fries und Nelson) und mit dem logischen Positivismus (Wittgenstein, Schlick und Carnap) kritisch auseinander. Auch der Konventionalismus (Poincare, Duhem und Dingler) wird kritisch berucksichtigt. Vor allem stellt er jedoch selbst einen neuartigen Losungsversuch der beiden Grundprobleme vor. Das Ergebnis des Buches ist klar: Es gibt keine Induktion im erkenntnistheoretischen Sinne und die Grenzen der empirischen Wissenschaft gegen alle rationalistische Spekulation aus reiner Vernunft lassen sich nur durch das Kriterium der Falsifizierbarkeit ziehen. Der erste Band uber das Induktionsproblem scheint vollstandig erhalten zu sein, von dem zweiten Band uber das Abgrenzungsproblem und uber die Methodentheorie gibt es jedoch nur eine kleine und eher unzusammenhangende Sammlung von Entwurfen. Was von den beiden Grundproblemen der Erkenntnistheorie zu finden war, wurde erstmals im Jahr 1979 veroffentlicht. Die hier vorgelegte dritte Auflage wurde um zwei neue Anhange (1993) sowie durch viele neue Anmerkungen und ein Nachwort des Herausgebers erganzt.Bitte fordern Sie den Sonderprospekt zu den Gesammelten Werken von Karl Popper bei uns an.