"Popper has argued (I think successfully) that a scientific idea can never be proven true, because no matter how many observations seem to agree with it, it may still be wrong. On the other hand, a single contrary experiment can prove a theory forever false."
But then how do we decide which theory is worth taking the time to criticize?--I think this is where David Deutsch comes in. Redefining scientific progress in therms of "hard-to-vary explanations". No need to eat a pound of grass to test if it cures the common cold, because it's an easy-to-vary and doesn't _explain why_ it works (eg why not a pound of rosemary or a pint of beer)? Seems like a pretty obvious thing, perhaps, but then why is homeopathy such a huge industry?
See also, A New Way to Explain Explanation: https://www.ted.com/talks/david_deutsch_a_new_way_to_explain...
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Love to see it on the top of HN. To Popper!
"Popper has argued (I think successfully) that a scientific idea can never be proven true, because no matter how many observations seem to agree with it, it may still be wrong. On the other hand, a single contrary experiment can prove a theory forever false."
But then how do we decide which theory is worth taking the time to criticize?--I think this is where David Deutsch comes in. Redefining scientific progress in therms of "hard-to-vary explanations". No need to eat a pound of grass to test if it cures the common cold, because it's an easy-to-vary and doesn't _explain why_ it works (eg why not a pound of rosemary or a pint of beer)? Seems like a pretty obvious thing, perhaps, but then why is homeopathy such a huge industry? See also, A New Way to Explain Explanation: https://www.ted.com/talks/david_deutsch_a_new_way_to_explain...
The AIM of science: https://www.bretthall.org/uploads/3/1/2/9/31298571/karl_r._p...
The Open Society and it's Enemies: https://antilogicalism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/open-s...
Economist article: https://www.economist.com/democracy-in-america/2016/01/31/fr...
Also, David Deutsch: https://archive.org/details/TheFabricOfReality/page/n45/mode...
The Beginning of Infinity: https://ia800107.us.archive.org/29/items/RichardDawkinsTheSe...