Karl Popper is famous for falsificationism, the idea that scientific theories can only be disproven, never proven. But in his later work, Popper introduced the concept of verisimilitude – a measure of how close a theory is to the truth. This has puzzled many: doesn't verisimilitude sound dangerously like verification?
In a recent episode of the Increments Podcast, the host explores why Popper, despite his anti-verificationist stance, developed ideas about corroboration and verisimilitude. The episode questions whether Popper inadvertently contradicted his own philosophy by suggesting that one theory could be considered closer to truth than another.
The discussion delves into the nuances of Popper's thought, examining whether verisimilitude was a necessary tool for comparing theories or a conceptual misstep. Listeners are invited to consider if the father of falsificationism was wrong about truth-likeness.