The Theory of Anything Episode 124: Popper's Evolutionary Theory of Knowledge
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Dec 9, 2025 Dive into a battle of minds as Bruce dissects Popper's critical rationalism against Campbell's evolutionary epistemology. Discover how trial-and-error learning in animals mirrors scientific knowledge growth. Popper's thoughts on genetics, sensation, and non-linear processes create intriguing links between knowledge and evolution. Can modern machine learning challenge traditional epistemological views? Tune in for a lively exploration of ideas and insights that redefine how we perceive knowledge itself!
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Popper's Preferred Terminology
- Karl Popper preferred calling his view an "evolutionary theory of knowledge" rather than "evolutionary epistemology."
- Bruce treats both terms as equivalent and uses Popper's preferred phrase consistently.
Epistemology As Knowledge Growth
- Popper defined epistemology as the study of the growth of knowledge, best examined via scientific knowledge.
- He viewed scientific epistemology as the clearest case of a general method of knowledge growth.
Animals Use Trial-And-Error Knowledge Growth
- Popper explicitly extended his conjecture-and-refutation model to animals and pre-scientific knowledge.
- He saw trial-and-error learning in animals as fundamentally the same method as scientific knowledge growth.
