Paradoxically, holistic engineering does not allow any social experiment since it proposes a total transformation of society as a whole.
Strictly speaking, what Popper criticizes of utopianism is its purpose of reconstructing society as a whole, bringing about far-reaching changes but, and this is fundamental, without having sufficient experience to do so 4. At the same time, there is a Manichean attitude since they are convinced that either their plan will save the world or that it will only result in chaos.īut what exactly makes Popper critical of holistic engineering? In Popper’s eyes, there is an attitude of arrogance in the supporters of this method since they believe themselves capable of “saving” the whole of humanity. In any case, there may be some virtue on the side of the leaders, but this is a matter of luck and not of rational methods. which are the best means for the realization of the perfect State.Īssumptions 2- and 3- are, according to Popper 3, false.the conviction that there are rational methods for determining once and for all what that ideal is and.the belief, in Platonic style, in an absolute and immutable ideal such as the Ideas or Forms.Utopianism rests on three assumptions, which are: In this sense, the experiments undertaken are large-scale experiments. Utopian or holistic engineering acts with total end arrangements, seeking to “reshape” the social whole, aiming to modify human behaviour to conform to such “ideals” at any cost. “Only once we have in our hands the design of the ideal society can we begin to consider the means to materialize it” 2. Popper argues that according to utopian engineering, the Ideal State’s political goal is determined before any practical action is taken. But that view is not universally accepted and deserves critical examination. Popper thinks that utopian engineering has an inadequate, negative and socially dangerous impact. It pretends that human behaviour adapts to unchangeable “ideals”, which are the Platonic Forms for Popper. The problem with utopian engineering is that it seeks to change society as a whole. Utopian or Platonic, or holistic engineering 1 is opposed to what Popper calls “piecemeal engineering”, which he considers adequate (and even good) for transforming society. The philosophical and sociological debate about utopian engineering as an erroneous construction of society is of utmost importance since Economics, Sociology and Political Science all have deep historical roots, as Karl Popper rightly points out, and its consequences can be traced back to the present day.
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