Comparing Karl Popper's Ontological and Epistemological Principles and those Outlined in the Religious Teachings of Islam

Abstract

This paper aimed to explain Karl Popper's philosophical foundations through comparing his ontological and epistemological principles and those outlined in the religious teachings of Islam. Popper was chosen to be studied in this paper due to a great influence of his ideas amongst experts - particularly after the Islamic Revolution of Iran – as well as owing to the considerable interest in translating his works in Iran. The methodology used in this study was analytical-deductive. The research population consisted of books, authentic papers and documents pertaining to the theoretical foundations of fundamental changes in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s formal and public education system. It was also utilized purposive sampling method. The research findings showed that there are fundamental differences between the two views as follows: differences regarding the existence of reality (i.e., the axiomatic existence of reality and the self-evident existence of the universe); categorizing reality (into three worlds and the different levels of the universe) and the evolution of nature in ontology (as a result of trial and error elimination method and constant spiritual movement towards absolute perfection). It was also found some other differences listed below: differences in knowledge of reality (nullifying the possibility for gaining knowledge of self through a kind of cognition, i.e., al-ilm yaghini; the possibility of gaining knowledge of the universe), the uncertain nature of knowledge, the criterion for knowledge of reality (succeeding in trial and error method and compatibility with the different levels of reality); the role of universe in knowledge (exploratory and inventive nature of knowledge); the dynamic nature of knowledge (the dynamic yet stable nature of knowledge); the sources of knowledge, the reasoning ability (critical reasoning and the ability to reason in theory and practice), and the limitations in realizing the epistemologies of the two views.

Keywords

• karl popper
• epistemological foundations
• ontological foundations
• religious teachings of islam
• philosophy of education