The Theory of Anything

Nov 12 2024 98 ep. 88 mins 69

The Theory of Anything Podcast artwork

A podcast that explores intelligence and the search for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) through the lens of the Popper-Deutsch Theory of Knowledge. David Deutsch has argued that Quantum Mechanics, Darwin's Theory of Evolution, Karl Popper's Theory of Knowledge, and Computational Theory (aka "The Four Strands") represent an early 'theory of everything' be it science, philosophy, computation, politics, or art. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/four-strands/support

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Episode 97: Karl Popper On Conservatism in Music (w/Chris Johansen)

Nov 12 2024 91 mins

We take a deep dive into Karl Popper’s philosophical ideas about music that he outlines in four chapters in this intellectual autobiography Unended Quest: “Music,” Speculations about the Rise of Polyphonic Music,” “Two Kinds of Music,” and “Progressivism in Art, Especially in Music.” We are joined by Peter’s brother, Chris Johansen, who is a straight-ah

Episode 96: Kenneth Stanley on the Pursuit of What’s Interesting

Oct 29 2024 88 mins

Here we interview AI researcher Kenneth Stanley, who makes the case that in complex systems, pursing specific objectives can actually be counterproductive. Instead, whether in machine learning, business, science, education, or art, we should pursue what is interesting. It is in this search for novelty—fueled by curiosity—where innovation and open-ended knowledge creation occurs

Episode 95: On Morality, Moralizing, and Elephant Jockeys (Round Table)

Oct 15 2024 168 mins

This time we invited some of the coolest and smartest people we know to have a freewheeling discussion on morality loosely centered on Jonathan Haidt's “rider and the elephant” metaphor. We take a deep dive into this idea that moral reasoning is a slave to our passions. Guests: • Lulie Tanett (https://open.spotify.com/show/6OPFnEt6uTOTGeSpnZ1YDp?si=4exIQOUfQzOg4TIU2hZ5hA

Episode 94: Stephen Hicks on Critical Rationalism vs Objectivism

Oct 01 2024 61 mins

This episode we interview Professor of Philosophy Stephen Hicks. In his excellent books Explaining Postmodernism and Nietzsche and the Nazis it becomes clear that the history of bad and good ideas—which he sees through the lens of Enlightenment and counter-Enlightenment philosophers—is more than an academic issue but something with monumental importance for human life and prosp

Episode 93: Philosophical Theories vs Bad Explanations

Sep 17 2024 127 mins

Can philosophical theories be refuted? What is a bad explanation? Can all theories be made more empirical? In search of an answer to these questions, Bruce takes a deep dive into what he believes is the correct way to apply “Popper’s ratchet” to metaphysical or philosophical theories. Along the way, Bruce puts forward a generalization of testability he calls “checkability

Episode 92: Popper on Philosophical Theories

Sep 03 2024 115 mins

Continuing from episode 91, we continue our deep dive into Popper's Conjectures and Refutations Chapter 8 where Popper explains how to use his epistemology on philosophical theories that (by definition) can't be 'refuted'. Despite agreeing with most of Popper's specific arguments, we offer some considerable criticisms to Popper's approach to criticizing phi

Episode 91: The Critical Rationalist Case For Induction!?

Aug 20 2024 105 mins

Forgive the clickbait title. The episode should probably actually be called "The (Lack of) Problem of Induction" because we primarily cover Popper's refutation of induction in C&R Chapter 8. This episode starts our deep dive into answering the question "What is the difference between a good philosophical explanation and a bad explanation?" To answer th

Episode 90: Bayesianism for Critical Rationalists!?

Jul 30 2024 175 mins

Today our guest Ivan Phillips methodically explains what Bayesianism is and is not. Along the way we discuss the validity of critiques made by critical rationalists of the worldview that is derived from Thomas Bayes’s 1763 theorem. Ivan is a Bayesian that is very familiar with Karl Popper's writings and even admires Popper's epistemology. Ivan makes his case that Bayesia

Episode 89: Tradition as a Source of Knowledge: Popper vs. Chesterton

Jul 09 2024 86 mins

This week we discuss the book Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton (1908), perhaps the most famous defense of the Christian tradition. We contrast this with Karl Popper’s talk, “Towards a Rational Theory of Tradition” (1948), from his collection of essays, Conjectures and Refutations. We consider: What is the role of tradition in science and knowledge? Is there a relationship betwe

Episode 88: The Myth of the Objective

Jun 25 2024 85 mins

Here Bruce reflects on AI researcher Kenneth Stanley’s assertion that setting specific, measurable goals may actually hinder discovery and innovation, which he writes about in his book, Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned: The Myth of the Objective. How does Stanley’s insight relate to critical rationalism, education, and life in general? We cover topics including: Why are objec