Journal of Philosophical Investigations

Karl Popper in Africa: Liberal-Communitarianism as Ideology for Democratic Social Reconstruction

Oseni Taiwo Afisi

Volume 17, Issue 42 , June 2023, , Pages 1-12

https://doi.org/10.22034/jpiut.2000.16561

Abstract

This paper examines the liberal society that Popper lauds, that aims to be truly open, and discusses why another, more communitarian kind of society, particularly societies in Africa, ... Read More This paper examines the liberal society that Popper lauds, that aims to be truly open, and discusses why another, more communitarian kind of society, particularly societies in Africa, may also reflect the quest for intellectual openness that is Popper’s ideal. Moreover, this paper avers reasons why Popper should be comfortable with such a liberal-communitarian mix. The inter-subjectivity in his critical rationalism is a balance of an explicit individualism, and an implicit social element (Afisi, 2016a). Popper is indeed an author of such a balance. For a society to be truly open requires the careful recognition and protection of individual freedom. However, the extent to which individuals are free to perform actions that they desire without external constraints, and the level of their individuality in relation to others when performing such actions, remain a contentious issue between liberals and more communitarian thinkers. Popper’s critical rationalism provides the necessary impetus to this contention through his view of freedom that I contend can best be viewed as carefully balanced, a view which combines individuality with a social element that upholds community values necessary for openness of society. With this combination, Popper’s politics of liberalism provides an effective model of how a truly open society can be achieved. The values inherent to Popper’s liberalism including those concerning intellectual openness, individual freedom, mutual respect, measured self-respect, welfarism, humanitarianism, accountability, critical debates and feedback from the citizens, together concern the conditions for a society to be truly open. There are many competing thoughts as to what openness might be in Popper’s philosophy. The present study of Popper does not presume to address them all. The focus here is specifically on using Popper’s idea of critical rationalism to balance relations between liberal politics of individual rights and freedom, and communitarian politics of the common good, as it relates to situations about how socio-economic and political conditions in Africa societies should be structured. While I contend that Popper’s works in political philosophy focused centrally on Western political tradition, and not about Africa in its strict sense, significant lessons can be distilled from Popper that can offer suggestions on social reforms in Africa. This paper explores Popper’s project of the open society across the plurality and differences of societies, so that his liberal ideas of individual freedom are not undermined, and the progress of the communitarian idea of the common good, that Africa societies are built upon, is also well enhanced. Liberal individualism and community values inherent to communitarianism are both well accommodated within Popper’s critical rationalism.

Philosophical Systems of Post-Corona from Confrontation Perspectives of Realism, Liberalism and Critical Theory; Condemned Scenarios, Platform and Harriet

Arsalan Ghorbani Sheikhneshin; Hamid Ahmadinejad

Volume 16, Issue 39 , September 2022, , Pages 678-695

https://doi.org/10.22034/jpiut.2022.50567.3139

Abstract

Theories based on philosophical foundations and with the capacities of ontology, epistemology and methodology can be very useful in Futures Study research. Considering this, the aim ... Read More

Positive Freedom and Liberalism in Kant's Political Philosophy

Ali Abedi Renani; Faez Dinparast

Volume 15, Issue 35 , September 2021, , Pages 182-202

https://doi.org/10.22034/jpiut.2021.44117.2748

Abstract

The subject of this article is the analysis of the concept of freedom as one of the fundamental issues of political thought in Kant’s philosophy. Given Isaiah Berlin’s typology ... Read More

‘Liberal Democracy’ in the ‘Post-Corona World’

Shirzad Peik Herfeh

Volume 14, Issue 31 , July 2020, , Pages 1-29

https://doi.org/10.22034/jpiut.2020.40506.2606

Abstract

A new ‘political philosophy’ is indispensable to the ‘post-Corona world,’ and this paper tries to analyze the future of ‘liberal democracy’ in it. ... Read More

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Keywords = Liberalism

Karl Popper in Africa: Liberal-Communitarianism as Ideology for Democratic Social Reconstruction

Abstract

Philosophical Systems of Post-Corona from Confrontation Perspectives of Realism, Liberalism and Critical Theory; Condemned Scenarios, Platform and Harriet

Abstract

Positive Freedom and Liberalism in Kant's Political Philosophy

Abstract

‘Liberal Democracy’ in the ‘Post-Corona World’

Abstract