-
Meta
-
Recent Posts
- Book on synergy of Popper and the other Austrians
- Jeffrey C Alexander and the logic of sociological research
- Standard misrepresentations and invalid criticisms of Popperism
- Giddens on Popper and positivism
- Major Popper biography in progress
- Peter Boettke on 1985 as a defining year for Austrian economics
- Rethinking climate change
- Evidence
- Objective and Objectivist Dogmas
- New CR site to watch!
Recent Comments
- Alex Naraniecki on articles of interest
- Musiitwa Jean Baptiste on Karl Popper’s nine theses concerning epistemology
- Rafe on Book on synergy of Popper and the other Austrians
- Lee Kelly on Book on synergy of Popper and the other Austrians
- Rafe on Philip Mirowski on Popper and the Mont Pelerin Society
- George Balanchine on Philip Mirowski on Popper and the Mont Pelerin Society
- George Balanchine on Philip Mirowski on Popper and the Mont Pelerin Society
- Matt on Some notes on rationality
- Dee on Some notes on rationality
- Rafe on Evidence
Archives
-
books
Category Archives: epistemology
Critical Rationalism vs. Inductive and Subjective Interpretations of Probability
So I am trying to understand the critical rationalist arguments against the inductive and subjective interpretations of probability. I am not all that familiar with the matter, and so I have likely made some elementary mistakes — feedback is appreciated. … Continue reading
Posted in epistemology, logic
73 Comments
A Pancritical Paradox?
In Retreat to Commitment, Bartley characterises a pancritical rationalist as one who, holds all his positions, including his most fundamental standards, goals, and decisions, and his basic philosophical position itself, open to criticism; one who protects nothing from criticism by … Continue reading
Posted in epistemology, logic
4 Comments
Scientism vs Liberalism
In his book, “The Counter-Revolution of Science”, Hayek argued against scientism – attempts by the social sciences to ape the methods of the natural sciences by ignoring the subjectivity of economic value. I will apply these ideas to criticise of some current ideas that the government should use force to make people happier. Continue reading
Posted in epistemology, ethics, open society
10 Comments
Howson on Deutsch
In Chapter 7 of his book The Fabric of Reality, David Deutsch has a dialogue in which he discusses critical rationalism with a crypto-inductivist, a philosopher who thinks there is an induction shaped hole in his worldview although he agrees … Continue reading
Posted in epistemology, science
Leave a comment
Popper on Schools and Universities
It has been said, only too truly, that Plato was the inventor of both our secondary schools and our universities. I do not know a better argument for the optimistic view of mankind than the fact that this devastating system of education has not utterly ruined them. Continue reading
Posted in epistemology, ethics, open society, quote
9 Comments
The Myth of the Framework
The Myth of the Framework is an essay Popper wrote that was published in the book of the same title. The point of the essay is that relativists tend to set excessively high standards for making progress. I would add that this is not just a problem for relativists: it is is a very widespread and extremely damaging obstacle to intellectual and moral progress. Continue reading
Posted in epistemology, ethics
28 Comments
Disagreement vs. Justificationism
Justificationists often complain that Popper’s philosophy doesn’t enable us to pick out one scientific theory as being decisively the best at any particular time. But there is something extremely odd about this objection. Critical rationalists advocate various restrictions on what … Continue reading
Posted in epistemology, science
20 Comments
Stanford Encylopedia Criticisms
This is a follow up to Rafe’s post The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy vs Karl Popper in which I reply to the Encyclopedia’s criticism of Popper’s position. Continue reading
Posted in epistemology, science
5 Comments
Knowledge and Biology
Many people I have discussed Popper with seem confused by Popper tying together evolution and epistemology in his book Objective Knowledge and other places. Evolution, they say, is all about biology and epistemology is about what people think. I’m going to try to clear up this confusion. Continue reading
Posted in biology, epistemology, evolution, science
Leave a comment
On Obviousness
One criticism that I often read of Popper is that some ideas are just obvious, and so there is no need to take all this fallibilist stuff too seriously. As an example, people often say 1+1 = 2 is obvious … Continue reading
Posted in epistemology
4 Comments