World 3: the world of statements - contrasted with World 1, the physical world, and World 2, the world of subjective experiences.

Popper was concerned about the 'reality' of World 3 and said:

"I regard world 3 as being essentially the product of the human mind"

"I look at world 3 as a product of human activity .."

"I regard the world 3 of problems, theories, and critical arguments as one of the results of the evolution of human language, and as acting back upon this evolution." (here foreshadowing 'memes') This ...makes the reality of world 3 understandable. It is as real as other human products, as real as a coding system - a language; as real as ... a social institution, such as a university or a police force."

If you want to know more, try pp. 180-187 of Unended Quest - An Intellectual Autobiography by Karl Popper, publ. Flamingo, 1986

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