Popper, Sir Karl

Conjectures and Refutations. Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1969, third edition revised, presentation copy inscribed by the author ("To Keith Guthrie | in gratitude for his marvellous | story of a great generation | from Karl Popper | January 1970"), with some pencil annotations by Guthrie, four autograph letters signed and one typed letter signed by Popper to Guthrie loosely inserted (Fallowfield, Penn, Bucks, 10 November 1966 to 6 March 1980, one with autograph envelope) together with pencil notes by Guthrie also loosely inserted; Objective Knowledge. An Evolutionary Approach. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1972, first edition, dust-jacket, presentation copy inscribed by Popper to Guthrie, accompanying autograph letter of presentation loosely inserted ("...I am sending you Objective Knowledge...because I made a few changes. I should be grateful if you would look at the new footnote 9 on p.411 which seems to me of significance for the interpretation of Parmenides B16...": 12 December 1972), a later letter loosely inserted continuing their conversation about objective knowledge ("...Your example, Thalidomide, is most important: it shows that we never know where our ignorance becomes important...": 14 April 1981); The Open Society and its Enemies, Routledge (and Routledge and Kegan Paul), 1966--1947, 2 volumes, fifth edition (revised) of volume 1, reprint of first edition of volume 2, second volume inscribed by Popper to Guthrie ("To the Master of Downing College | who may perhaps have a look | at the new Addendum III, p323...."), Guthrie's notes loosely inserted in volume 2, volume 1 in paperback; The Logic of Scientific Discovery, 1975, later impression--Schilpp, Paul Arthur, editor. The Philosophy of Karl Popper. La Salle, Illinois, 1974, presentation copy inscribed by Popper to Guthrie, dust-jacket; original cloth bindings except where stated; some slight wear to bindings, wrappers and jackets; 8vo

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Some of Popper's most highly regarded works, with presentation inscriptions to a fellow scholar and a series of letters with lively philosophical debate. The classical scholar W.K.C. Guthrie (1906--1981) is best known for his six-volume History of Greek Philosophy (1962--1981), referred to in the correspondence in this lot. The  letters inserted in the first volume testify to the considerable respect Popper held for him, and are often highly complimentary. They discuss, among other things, the revised edition of Conjectures and Refutations ("...I am sending you a copy. The places where you might find some slight improvements are, as far as Plato is involved: pp 91-2, note 55..."), philosophical arguments and definitions in the works of Parmenides and Aristotle, his recipient's ongoing History of Greek Philosophy series ("...I am full of admiration not only for your new third volume but also for your incredible productivity and stamina. I am a hard worker, but compared with these marvellous volumes, published in only seven years, I have done nothing..."),  and (after hearing of Guthrie's stroke in March 1980) his high opinion of his (then incomplete) sixth volume on Aristotle ("to say that your work is monumental is almost uttering a truism. It is much more: it is lovable").