[Postscript to the Logic of Scientific Discovery:] Realism and the Aim of Science; The Open Universe; Quantum Theory and the Schism in Physics. Edited by W. W. Bartley, III.

POPPER, Karl.

Published by London [& Totowa, New Jersey]: Hutchinson [& Rowman and Littlefield], 1982-3

About this Item

First UK edition of Volume 1, first US editions of Volumes 2 and 3, each a presentation copy and boldly inscribed on the front free endpaper to Popper's friend, the philosophical broadcaster Bryan Magee "to Bryan, with love, from Karl". Presentation sets to the same recipient are scarce in commerce, as such sets are often broken up. By March 1983, the date of Popper's inscription in Volume 1, the two men were friends and intellectual allies. Magee (1930-2019) wrote a book-length study of Popper's thought in 1985, where he described the Postscript as "written when he was at the height of his powers, and. [containing] some of his most valuable work" (p. 115). Ever an attentive reader, Magee has made a series of ink annotations to Volume 3, along with several notes on the rear pastedown summarizing Popper's positive arguments. He also recorded his first reading on the front free endpaper, firstly in London on 23 October 1983 and latterly in Reigate on 24-25 October. On the title page of Volume 3, Popper has noted that it was also published in England by Hutchinson. Volume 1 includes two loosely inserted postcards from around 2000 to Magee from "David" - almost certainly David Miller (1942-2024), Popper's former research assistant and later a developer of his philosophy. There, he bemoans the anti-Popperian shift at the London School of Economics since his death ("Colin Howson has published a book entitled Hume's Problem [title underlined] that makes the most determined attempts to rubbish what Karl said about induction - and to hand the palm to Fisher ('a deeper thinker') for recognizing that a failure to falsify a theory does not provide a reason in its favour. This is the L.S.E of today"). Miller was another long-time friend of Magee, proof-reading his 1987 study of the Great Philosophers. Bryan Magee, Philosophy and the Real World: An Introduction to Karl Popper, 1985. 3 works, octavo. Diagrams in the text. Original black cloth, spines lettered in gilt. With dust jackets (vols. 2 and 3 in US edition jacket). Small price sticker to front jacket flap of vol. 1. Light bumping, minor rubbing, creasing, and browning to jackets, flaps without price as issued, remnants of price sticker to rear panel of vol. 1: a very good set.

Seller Inventory # 188648

Bibliographic Details

• Title: [Postscript to the Logic of Scientific Discovery:] Realism and the Aim of Science; The Open Universe; Quantum Theory and the Schism in Physics. Edited by W. W. Bartley, III.
• Publisher: London [& Totowa, New Jersey]: Hutchinson [& Rowman and Littlefield], 1982-3
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)