The theme of the paper is the phenomenon which Popper labelled `Oedipus effect', and its implications for the anlytical-positivist epistemology, especially for the Principle of the Unity of Science. As far as Popper is concerned, it is claimed that he was unsuccessful in his attempt to overcome the inconsistencies generated in his work by the acknowledgement of the possibility of the Oedipus effect in the human sciences.
Naturalism; Positivism; self-fulfilling prophecies; self-refuting prophecies; Indeterminism