Episode 4: What Makes a Good Explanation?

from The Theory of Anything · host Bruce Nielson and Peter Johansen

The postmoderns were wrong! Knowledge can progress, despite uncertainty! What makes a good explanation vs a bad explanation? You probably intuitively recognize when an explanation is bad, but do you know why you prefer one explanation over another? Just what exactly is wrong with "because I said so" or "fairies did it"? In Episode 3 Bruce and Cameo finally solved the problem of how we can make progress in knowledge despite our lack of certainty using Karl Popper's Theory of Knowledge. In this episode, we finally ask what makes a good explanation vs a bad explanation? And how can we recognize the good ones?   This is part 4 of our 4 part series covering the Theory of Knowledge of Karl Popper as interpreted by physicist David Deutsch. Bruce explains this epistemology to Cameo and Carey, who are hearing it for the first time as we record. Will they agree with it or will they think it's a bunch of baloney? Find out by downloading this podcast.  If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a 5-star rating. Youtube Version with optional visuals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSquq_JYI4c&list=PLbU2Yvjwp2jI0mTFUVLVtRw8MQJev0QYt&index=4 Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bnielson01

What this episode covers

The postmoderns were wrong! Knowledge can progress, despite uncertainty! What makes a good explanation vs a bad explanation? You probably intuitively recognize when an explanation is bad, but do you know why you prefer one explanation over another? Just what exactly is wrong with "because I said so" or "fairies did it"? In Episode 3 Bruce and Cameo finally solved the problem of how we can make progress in knowledge despite our lack of certainty using Karl Popper's Theory of Knowledge. In this episode, we finally ask what makes a good explanation vs a bad explanation? And how can we recognize the good ones? This is part 4 of our 4 part series covering the Theory of Knowledge of Karl Popper as interpreted by physicist David Deutsch. Bruce explains this epistemology to Cameo and Carey, who are hearing it for the first time as we record. Will they agree with it or will they think it's a bunch of baloney? Find out by downloading this podcast. If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a 5-star rating. Youtube Version with optional visuals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSquq_JYI4c&list=PLbU2Yvjwp2jI0mTFUVLVtRw8MQJev0QYt&index=4 Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bnielson01