The Theory of Anything Episode 67: Disagreements with Deutsch
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Oct 16, 2023 Our guest Mark Biros, immersed in critical rationalism, discusses his criticisms of popular ideas in the CritRat community. Topics include environmentalism, epistemology, quantum mechanics, social media, optimism, monarchies, cults, and human extinction.
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Lack of Internal Criticism in Deutsch's Community
- Critical rationalists around David Deutsch often avoid criticizing Deutsch's ideas openly.
- This lack of internal criticism can make the community seem cult-like to outsiders.
Critique of 'Spaceship Earth' Claim
- Deutsch claims the biosphere no more supports humans than it supports radio telescopes, which is a false literal claim.
- Earth provides vital support, like oxygen and sunlight, independent of human knowledge.
Role of Prediction vs. Explanation
- Deutsch downplays prediction's role, favoring explanation as science's core.
- Yet, the Copenhagen interpretation's predictive success shows the value of predictive theories.