Ep 195: Knowledge, Wealth and Constructors

Very brief readings from and lengthy reflections upon David Deutsch's paper "The Philosophy of Constructor Theory" published here https://link.springer.com/article/10.... and available in full here: https://www.constructortheory.org/por... #physics #knowledge #philosophy #epistemology #daviddeutsch #science Also available on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMCx2Com7LU Discuss this or any episode of ToKCast on ToKChat: a channel on "Airchat" available here for download for iPhone and Android: https://www.getairchat.com/ ToKChat is here: https://www.getairchat.com/bretthall/tokchat Timestamps/chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Predictions are not always possible 01:27 The Unpredictable 02:33 The Content of Future Theories 03:36 Better Theories Better Explain What Exists 04:31 The Principle of Testability 04:58 The Negation of an Explanation is Not an Explanation 06:04 Knowledge is the most significant entity in the universe 06:33 The Most Important Kind of Abstract Constructor Is Knowledge (Part 1) 07:22 The Most Important Kind of Abstract Constructor Is Knowledge (Part 2) 07:44 Physics is almost entirely the study of the effects of knowledge 08:40 Knowledge is not primarily about the content of minds 09:20 People are more significant than any religion realises 10:15 Wealth = Knowledge + Resources 11:15 Ultimately, Knowledge is the Only Scarce Resource 12:05 Knowledge determines which physical transformations happen 13:17 Knowledge is Information with Causal Power 14:13 Knowledge is Substrate Independent (Part 1) 15:11 Knowledge is Substrate Independent (Part 2) 16:01 Knowledge is Substrate Independent (Part 3) 16:12 Knowledge is Substrate Independent (Part 4) 17:01 Knowledge is Substrate Independent (Part 5) 17:44 Knowledge is Substrate Independent (Part 6) 18:34 Knowledge is Substrate Independent (Part 7) 19:35 The Role of Emotion in Objective Knowledge Creation 20:31 On Why People are Unique 21:16 Humans Routinely Defy Their Instincts 22:13 People are Universal Explainers 23:16 Human Brains obey the Laws of Physics 23:57 Many “Rationalists” Endorse the Supernatural 24:32 Good Explanations and Decision Making 25:33 Inexplicit Knowledge and Misconceptions 26:38 Quaila: We have them. We cannot describe them 27:42 Intuitions are conjectures 28:51 Either you have a Good Explanation or you don’t 29:45 Vibes can be an indication to investigate further 30:43 Knowledge is not just a “decision engine” 31:31 Obsession with guessing the future is irrational 32:15 A “simulation” of a mind is a mind. 33:08 We cannot predict the output of a creative entity 34:04 Knowledge Rekindles Light When Other Lights Go Out.