Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 150 | Simon DeDeo on How Explanations Work and Why They Sometimes Fail
Jun 7, 2021
Simon DeDeo, an Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon and External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute, dives into the intricacies of how explanations work and their potential pitfalls. He discusses the balance between simplicity and complexity in explanations, linking these to Bayesian reasoning. DeDeo explores how good explanations fit data while cautioning against overly elaborate theories, which can lead to conspiracy thinking. Their conversation highlights the importance of evaluating scientific claims and understanding the cultural implications behind our reasoning.
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The Importance of Explanations in Science
- Explanations are crucial for understanding scientific phenomena, like dark matter or evolutionary biology.
- Scientists with similar training can have different preferences for building explanations.
Conspiracy Theories vs. Scientific Beliefs
- Belief in conspiracy theories shares similarities with respectable scientific beliefs.
- It's about balancing explanatory values, not a fundamentally different way of thinking.
The Generative Nature of Explanations
- Explanations are a generative process, not just for feeling better but for understanding how things work.
- Predicting the future is not the primary goal of explanation-making.
