The Theory of Anything

Michael Golding, a board-certified psychiatrist with 25 years in hospitals, prisons, and homelessness services, discusses mental illness through a Popperian lens. He explores whether universal explanation capacity negates mental disorder. Short, lively conversations cover psychosis, error-correction failures, developmental learning differences, medication tradeoffs, and practical, iterative care approaches.

Bruce examines how effectively critical rationalism can ground the non-aggression principle (NAP)—the libertarian idea that, in some formulation, it is morally wrong to initiate violence.But does it really make sense to interpret all areas of law through this single principle? Might it be better replaced by an alternative, such as a principle of least coercion? And what, from a critical rationalist perspective, does coercion actually mean? Is it a theory with substantial moral content, or an easy-to-vary principle that ultimately collapses into “coercion is whatever I dislike”?And how might we test between these alternating views?Bonus: What did Karl Popper think of Thomas Szasz's theories?⁠⁠⁠⁠Support us on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠

A deep unpacking of David Deutsch’s claim that probability might be dispensable in physics. They translate Deutsch’s slot-machine argument into a quantum die and walk through the math. The hosts debate whether skipping probability is meaningful or just a redefinition. They examine constructor theory, decision-theoretic derivations, and whether frequencies or amplitudes really replace credences.

A deep dive into how institutions and norms, not just individuals, shape objective knowledge. Discussion of fallibilism, intersubjective testing, and why social rules matter for truth-seeking. Examination of how social media failed the reality-based community and how institutions enable progress. Questions about whether AI will inherit human dogmatism or better self-criticism.

A lively debate about testability in economics and political theory. They probe whether economics can make roughly testable predictions or is metaphysical. They challenge praxeology and anarcho-capitalism as vague outcome claims rather than falsifiable theories. They contrast Mises and Hayek and propose comparing ANCAP ideas against existing institutions to see what actually works.

A brisk tour of “knowledge” treated as a concept rather than a formal theory. Debate over whether concepts can behave like falsifiable theories sparks analogies from sound waves to immune systems. Constructor theory and whether biological systems count as knowledge get challenged. The discussion contrasts fuzzy conceptual thinking with strict Popperian testing and links the idea to machine intelligence.

Dive into the intriguing debate on knowledge theories, where Bruce critiques popular notions by critical rationalists. He explores Popper's ideas on theories and concepts and contrasts them with Hofstadter’s insights on creativity. The discussion includes the pseudo-Deutsch theory, human knowledge creation through evolution, and the role of genetic algorithms. Bruce tackles misconceptions about inspiration versus perspiration in knowledge generation, urging a shift towards explicit, testable theories. It's a fascinating journey through complex epistemological landscapes!

Dive into a mind-bending discussion on the nature of probability, spurred by a Twitter exchange with David Deutsch. Explore whether probability truly exists or if it’s an illusion shaped by the multiverse. The hosts tackle the implications of deterministic views on randomness, address the practical applications of probability in forecasting and decision-making, and dissect different interpretations like frequentism and Bayesianism. They also examine the confusion surrounding language and probabilistic theories, highlighting the essential relationship between explanations and probability.

Dive into the clash between inductivism and critical rationalism! The conversation unveils how inductive reasoning is often misconstrued and the thin line separating concepts from theories. Bruce challenges the infamous claim of induction's omnipotence by exploring linguistic gymnastics that protect it from critique. He questions the essence of statistical induction and tackles Eddington's critique of random samples in science. Get ready for a deep intellectual dive that sparks critical thought and questions the very foundations of scientific reasoning!

Dive into a fascinating discussion on the clash between Popper's belief that theories outshine concepts and Hofstadter's views on creativity and consciousness. Explore where conjectures originate and how analogies shape our understanding. Highlights include the concept of observations merely selecting theories and how insights from echoes can inspire new ideas. The interplay between concepts and theories is dissected, revealing how fuzzy thinking can lead to innovation and implications for artificial general intelligence. Get ready for a thought-provoking journey!