CF Dictionary · Critical Rationalism Terms
Open Society
A society that allows criticism of its institutions and traditions. CR argues open societies are the only ones that progress.
An open society (Popper's term) is a society that allows free criticism of its institutions, traditions, and policies. CR argues open societies are the only ones that achieve unbounded progress.
What makes a society open
- Free speech. Criticise without fear.
- Free inquiry. Question authority.
- Free exchange of ideas. Paths Forward works.
- Rule of law. Even the powerful are criticisable.
- Tolerance of error. Mistakes are learning opportunities.
What closed societies do
- Suppress criticism.
- Protect tradition from inquiry.
- Concentrate authority in uncriticisable hands.
- Punish error-correction.
CR's argument
CR argues:
- Closed societies don't improve; they decay.
- Open societies can fall into closedness, but can also recover.
- The choice is not open vs. closed — it's active open vs. drifting closed.
CF's adoption
CF applies open-society principles to:
- Discussion forums. Open criticism is essential.
- Education. Teach the fallibilism of teachers.
- Personal relationships. Be open to criticism from people you care about.
- Peer review should be open, not private.
How to be more open
- Admit mistakes publicly.
- Invite criticism.
- Don't punish the messenger.
- Be specific about what you accept and reject.
"Open Society" (Popper's book) is foundational CR; CF carries it forward. — criticalfallibilism.com