[ExI] ​Popper and unscientific theories

[John Clark]

On Fri, Jun 10, 2016 at 5:07 PM, Dan TheBookMan <danust2012 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> it would seem very unlikely that I just happened to be at the center of
>> spherical universe with a 13.8 billion light year radius. So I disagree
>> with Popper and conclude there are parts of the universe I can never see
>> even in theory.
>
>
> ​> ​
> That doesn't really answer my question, which was Why do you think one
> view is scientific and the other isn't? It wasn't which one do you think
> more likely to be the case.
>

​The answer to the question "is X true?" has an objective answer even if
you don't know what it is, but the answer to the question "is X
scientific?" is subjective. Popper and I have different opinions on the
subject.


> ​> ​
> Also, did Popper actually hold this view?
>

​Probably not, I doubt if Popper knew much about science in general or the
Big Bang Theory in particular, but he did have an opinion on Evolution. As
late as 1976 Popper says i
n chapter 37 of
​his ​
book "Unended Quest: An Intellectual Autobiography":

 *"Darwinism is not a testable scientific theory, but a metaphysical
research program*".

​This
 is not something to make Popper fans or fans of philosophers of science
proud.
​ ​
Finally, two years later in 1978 at the age of 76 and 119 years after the
publication of "The Origin Of Species", perhaps the greatest scientific
book ever written, Popper belatedly said:

 “*I have changed my mind about the testability and logical status of the
theory of natural selection; and I am glad to have an opportunity to make a
recantation*”.

Popper came to the conclusion that this Darwin whippersnapper might be onto
something after all in his 1978 (1978!!) lecture "Natural Selection and the
Emergence of Mind".
​ ​
Better late than never I guess, but for most of his life Popper did not
approve of Evolution and his opposition did a lot of harm, to this day
Bible thumpers use Popper quotations in their legal briefs to try to get
creationism taught in the classroom.
​

 John K Clark​




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