Naval There Can Be No Final Theory of Gravity
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Oct 18, 2021 Explore the evolution of scientific theories from Newton to Einstein. Delve into the role of critical experiments in shaping our understanding of gravity. Discover the clash between Bayesian reasoning and Popper's philosophy, highlighting the uncertainties in scientific discovery. The discussion reveals that the pursuit of knowledge is a journey without finality, emphasizing the continuous quest for better approximations of reality.
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One Theory on Offer
- In the case of gravity, there's only one theory currently: general relativity.
- A crucial experiment helps decide between competing theories, like the one that favored general relativity over Newtonian gravity.
Bayesianism in Physics
- Most physicists are Bayesian, viewing knowledge acquisition as a probabilistic update based on evidence.
- However, Bayesianism struggles to explain how confidence in a theory, like Newtonian gravity, can be highest right before it's proven false.
Popperian View of Gravity
- The Popperian view suggests that no theory is perfectly true; we continually refine our understanding through better approximations.
- Newton's theory contains some truth, like the inverse square law, but general relativity offers a more accurate representation of gravity.