L'arroseur arrosé : Popper, « la télévision, un danger pour la démocratie »

Abstract

This article presents the epistemological roots of Popperian engagement against television. Driven by radical technological determinism, the Austrian philosopher of science saw television as a lethal threat to democracy. In his view, television professionals act irresponsibly by prioritizing violent programmes simply for the sake of increasing their market share, without any concern for the effects on society. He consequently suggested profound reform of the institution. The article shows that this denunciation adapts the philosopher's nominalist and individualistic theses, the basis of his theory of rational critique. It strives, moreover, to compare this theory to Habermas1 and Rorty's work, and notes that Popper exhibits very little knowledge of reception studies. The article concludes that his problématique is, paradoxically, based on induction - a philosophy which the epistemologist opposed throughout his life.