Q0356
“Science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths.” — Karl Popper (Conjectures and Refutations)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Conjectures and Refutations. Theme: philosophy.
English
Science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Conjectures and Refutations and files it under Critical Rationalism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Karl Popper
Karl Popper (1902–1994) was an Austrian-born philosopher of science and politics who spent his mature career in New Zealand and at the London School of Economics. Fleeing Nazism, he developed critical rationalism against verificationism and historicist prophecy.
Interpretation
Popper is describing how inquiry actually proceeds rather than prescribing a method. His claim is that science does not start from observations but from stories we tell about the world, and that the distinctive move is not to abandon myths but to criticise them. What matters is that a conjecture be stated precisely enough to be refuted. The sentence is aimed at the picture of science as induction from neutral data, which he thinks is neither accurate nor possible.
Why it matters
The transferable point is that the quality of a belief depends on whether it can be tested, not on whether it began as a guess.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Karl Popper. (n.d.). Science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0356
MLA: Karl Popper. “Science must begin with myths, and with the….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0356.
Chicago: Karl Popper. “Science must begin with myths, and with the….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0356.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Science must begin with myths, and with the…”?
The passage is attributed to Karl Popper, Conjectures and Refutations. The archive attributes this English wording to Conjectures and Refutations and files it under Critical Rationalism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Karl Popper mean by philosophy?
This passage is indexed under . Those labels identify the concepts it can illuminate; they do not replace the argument surrounding it in Conjectures and Refutations.