Vygotsky and Popper: Explorations on the growth of knowledge

Author(s)

Doria, Nilson Guimarães

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo. [2007]. [146] f.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Psicologia
• Defense date: 22 fev. 2007
• Advisor: Simão, Lívia Mathias
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology
• Indexed in: Banco de Dados Bibliográficos da USP-DEDALUS; Index Psi Teses - IP/USP
• Individual as subject: Vygotsky, Lev Semenovich, 1896-1934; Popper, Karl Raimund, 1902-1994
• Location: Universidade de São Paulo. Biblioteca do Instituto de Psicologia; BD161; D696v

Abstract

Relationships between Vygotskian and Popperian oeuvres are hardly explored in scientific literature. Moreover, when the matter has merited some attention, its exploration barely goes beyond of narrow explorations of the similarities between those theoretician's proposals. The studies usually point to general epistemological aspects of Vygotsky's and Popper's approaches, like their opposition against empiricism and positivism, or their sympathy with constructivist approaches. The aim of this work was to try to develop new and deeper fields of possibilities of dialogue between these two theoretician's oeuvres. On the one hand, the main focus accomplished by this study is concerned to Darwinian evolutionary theory, as a shared starting point of dialoguing for both authors; on the other hand, the study focus is also concerned to the differences between those authors respect to Theory of History. It is worth noting, however, that even here it was given more attention to the convergent points than to the differences between the two theoretician's approaches. This option was based on the conviction that it would be necessary to deepen the understanding about their similarities in order to try a further discussion about their distancing. The research procedure of the present theoretical study was the critic review of a selected bibliography from the available literature of and on Vygotsky and Popper. At the beginning of the research, seven fields of possibilities for dialoguing were identified. They are concerned to: a) similarities between the so-cafed Vygotsky's approach of 'lines of development' and Popper's approach to 'the worlds'; b) the evolutionary perspective adopted by both, in Psychology and Philosophy of Science, respectively; c) their shared understanding concerning to the specificity of the scientific endeavor as simultaneously intrinsically incomplete and progressively nearer to the truth... (AU)