Episode 116: The Knowledge Machine

Sep 16, 2025

Dive into the intricate world of scientific philosophy as the hosts dissect Michael Strevens's ideas about science as a self-correcting knowledge machine. They critique the limitations of static vs. dynamic theories, play with the dynamics of induction versus critical rationalism, and explore the complexities of epistemology. Discover how empirical testing shapes understanding while challenging traditional views on falsification. This enlightening discussion highlights the balance between practical predictions and deeper scientific insights.

02:17:28

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Iron Rule Equals Empirical Arbitration

Strevens' 'iron rule' says settle scientific disputes by empirical tests only, demanding experiments that discriminate between hypotheses.
This resembles Popper's crucial tests and emphasizes objective, intersubjective adjudication.

insights

INSIGHT

Shallow Explanations Drive Consensus

Strevens claims modern science uses 'shallow' explanations focused on causal derivations from observable phenomena rather than deep metaphysical accounts.
That procedural narrowness creates universal agreement on what counts as a valid scientific explanation.

insights

INSIGHT

How Questions Jump-Start Progress

Popper and Strevens both favor practical 'how' questions over initial 'what is' metaphysical queries as better starting points for progress.
Starting with usable, testable questions enables fast error-correction and later deeper explanatory advances.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Navigating Epistemology: Critical Rationalism and Induction

01:49 • 8min

chevron_right

Exploring Induction and Critical Rationalism

09:29 • 3min

chevron_right

Critiquing Static and Dynamic Theories

12:39 • 9min

chevron_right

Navigating Scientific Explanation: Popper and Beyond

21:42 • 30min

chevron_right

Navigating Science: Perspectives on Methodology and Bias

51:19 • 35min

chevron_right

Critical Rationalism: Beyond Empirical Boundaries

01:26:23 • 41min

chevron_right

Rethinking Falsification in Science

02:07:02 • 4min

chevron_right

The Dynamics of Scientific Falsification and Progress

02:11:29 • 6min

chevron_right

#6004

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

The Myth of the Framework

In Defence of Science and Rationality

M. A. Notturno

Karl Popper

In this book, Karl Popper discusses key issues such as the aims of science, the role of science in civilization, the moral responsibility of scientists, the structure of history, and the choice between reason and revolution. Popper argues against intellectual fashions like positivism and relativism, advocating for his own critical rationalism as a theory of knowledge and an attitude towards human life, morals, and democracy. The book is a compilation of some of Popper's most important work on these subjects, published in cooperation with the Central European University.

#51188

All of Life is Problem Solving

David Deutsch

#3036

• Mentioned in 10 episodes

The Sovereign Child

How a Forgotten Philosophy Can Liberate Kids and Their Parents

Aaron Stupple

In 'The Sovereign Child,' Aaron Stupple delves into the parenting movement known as 'Taking Children Seriously,' which posits that children's reasons, desires, emotions, and creativity are equivalent to those of adults. The book challenges conventional wisdom on rule enforcement in parenting, suggesting that treating children as autonomous individuals can liberate both kids and their parents. Using examples from his experience as a father of five, Stupple examines the harms of rule enforcement and presents alternative approaches based on this forgotten philosophy from the 20th century.

#33056

The Open Society

Karl Popper

Karl Popper's "The Open Society and Its Enemies" is a two-volume work critiquing historicism and totalitarian ideologies. Popper argues against utopian social engineering and advocates for a society that embraces critical thinking, individual liberty, and tolerance of dissenting views. He contrasts the "open society" with "closed societies," characterized by authoritarian rule and suppression of dissent. The book's central theme is the importance of reason and rational discourse in shaping a just and free society. Popper's ideas have had a profound impact on political philosophy and continue to be relevant in contemporary debates about democracy and freedom. The work remains a cornerstone of liberal thought.

#117

• Mentioned in 108 episodes

The Beginning of Infinity

Explanations That Transform the World

David Deutsch

In this groundbreaking book, David Deutsch argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the universe and that improving them is the basic regulating principle of all successful human endeavor. The book takes readers on a journey through various fields of science, history of civilization, art, moral values, and the theory of political institutions. Deutsch explains how we form new explanations and drop bad ones, and discusses the conditions under which progress, which he argues is potentially boundless, can and cannot happen. He emphasizes the importance of good explanations, which he defines as those that are 'hard to vary' and have 'reach', and argues that these explanations are central to the Enlightenment way of thinking and to all scientific and philosophical progress.

#12113

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

Probability Theory: The Logic of Science

The Logic of Science

E.T. Jaynes

E. T. Jaynes's 'Probability Theory: The Logic of Science' offers a comprehensive and rigorous treatment of probability theory, emphasizing its logical foundations. Jaynes argues that probability is not merely a measure of subjective belief or long-run frequencies, but rather a framework for logical reasoning under conditions of incomplete information. The book presents a coherent and consistent approach to probability, integrating Bayesian methods and emphasizing the importance of prior knowledge in statistical inference. It challenges traditional frequentist interpretations and provides a powerful alternative for scientific modeling and decision-making. Jaynes's work has had a profound impact on various fields, including physics, statistics, and artificial intelligence.

#6121

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

The Knowledge Machine

How Irrationality Created Modern Science

Karl Popper

#6587

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

The Principia

Isaac Newton

Published in 1687, 'Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica' is a comprehensive treatise that establishes the principles of modern physics. The book is divided into three main sections and includes preliminary chapters on definitions and axioms. It introduces Newton's three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation, explaining phenomena such as the motion of bodies, fluid dynamics, and the behavior of celestial bodies like planets and comets. The work also includes discussions on hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, and acoustics, and it systematizes a method for studying nature through mathematical means. Newton revised and expanded the work in subsequent editions published in 1713 and 1726.

This week Bruce take a deep critical rationalist dive into Michael Strevens’s book, The Knowledge Machine: How Irrationality Created Modern Science, which is an attempt to describe how science is a self-correcting system designed to create knowledge based on explanation.

The book is somewhat critical of Popperian falsification, though the reading of Popper presented may be a superficial reading.

Bruce describes how Strevens’s “iron rule of science” or the idea that we should settle science based on empirical tests overlaps with what Bruce calls “Popper’s ratchet,” or the idea that we should strive to move our theories to be more testable and avoid ad hoc saves designed to make our theories less testable.

Is there anything we can learn from a (semi) Bayesian / Inductivist like Strevens that we Popperians don't already know?

Perhaps more interestingly, Strevens' theory is meant to explain why we got stuck in static societies for so long. How does his theory compared to Deutsch's?

Home Top podcasts Popular guests Top books