The BJPS Popper Prize (formerly the Sir Karl Popper Essay Prize) is awarded annually for the best paper appearing in the British Journal for the Philosophy of Science in the preceding year. It is awarded by the Editors-in-Chief of the Journal, in consultation with the Journal’s Associate Editors and members of the BSPS Committee. No article by a current BJPS Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor may be considered for the prize, even when (as must be the case) the article’s acceptance pre-dates their editorial appointment. No BSPS Committee member whose work is under consideration for the Prize may be present during consultation between the BJPS Editors-in-Chief and the BSPS Committee. Details of recent winners can be found here.

The Prize was originally established at the wish of the late Dr Laurence B. Briskman, formerly of the Department of Philosophy, University of Edinburgh, who died on 8 May 2002, having endowed an essay prize fund to encourage work in any area falling under the general description of the critical rationalist philosophy of Karl Popper. Dr Briskman came to the University of Edinburgh in 1969, after completing graduate studies in logic and philosophy of science at the London School of Economics, where he was greatly influenced by Popper, who remained the dominant intellectual influence on his philosophical outlook throughout his career.

Prior to 2011, the prize was awarded to essays that were not necessarily published in the BJPS.