Listen "Ep 116: Objective Knowledge"
Episode Synopsis
This is my succinct explanation of "Objective Knowledge" - the concept and not the book of the same name by Karl Popper. However that book of course informs this entire thesis of what Objective Knowledge is. My view of objective knowledge is augmented by more recent advances in epistemology, philosophy and physics by David Deutsch as expressed largely in "The Beginning of Infinity" but also with some reference to "Constructor Theory". I will place more precise time stamps on this episode later but for now there exist roughly 4 parts to this episode:
1. Objectivity vs Subjectivity
2. Objective Knowledge
3. Other ideas about epistemology
4. Conclusions.
This episode not only explains "objective knowledge" from the so-called "Popperian" or "Critical Rationalist" perspective in the 21st century but also serves to refute the dominant other competing epistemological notions. In the order I deal with them using quotations from their own proponents and "primary sources" they are: Bayesian Epistemology (as endorsed by other "rationalists" and as explained in places like www.lesswrong.com) and "Objectivist Epistemology" (as first explained by Ayn Rand and promoted by, among others, the Ayn Rand Institute and self-identified "objectivists"). I show how both of these alternatives views of epistemology are not "objective" in two senses. And those two senses of objective are the criteria for objective and are only met by the Popperian framework.
1. Objectivity vs Subjectivity
2. Objective Knowledge
3. Other ideas about epistemology
4. Conclusions.
This episode not only explains "objective knowledge" from the so-called "Popperian" or "Critical Rationalist" perspective in the 21st century but also serves to refute the dominant other competing epistemological notions. In the order I deal with them using quotations from their own proponents and "primary sources" they are: Bayesian Epistemology (as endorsed by other "rationalists" and as explained in places like www.lesswrong.com) and "Objectivist Epistemology" (as first explained by Ayn Rand and promoted by, among others, the Ayn Rand Institute and self-identified "objectivists"). I show how both of these alternatives views of epistemology are not "objective" in two senses. And those two senses of objective are the criteria for objective and are only met by the Popperian framework.
More episodes of the podcast ToKCast
Ep 251: OK Doomer!
11/12/2025
Ep 250: The Farthest Reaches - Audiobook
12/11/2025
Ep 248: AI and Philosophy of Science
14/10/2025
Ep 247: The Farthest Reaches Part 3
23/09/2025
Ep 246: The Farthest Reaches Part 2
17/09/2025
Ep 245: The Farthest Reaches (Part 1)
12/09/2025
Ep 244: Deep learning is not "inductive".
22/08/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.