more from Bas C. van Fraassen

Single Idea 12770

[catalogued under 2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 6. Coherence]

Full Idea

The specter that faces us is that we may end up having explained all that is dreamt of in our philosophies by intricately crafted postulates that are false.

Gist of Idea

We may end up with a huge theory of carefully constructed falsehoods

Source

Bas C. van Fraassen (The Empirical Stance [2002], 1.5)

Book Reference

Fraassen,Bas van: 'The Empirical Stance' [Yale 2002], p.16


A Reaction

This is more persuasive that Idea 12769. People who cannot bear to live with a total absence of explanation (with Keats's 'negative capability') are most in danger from this threat.

Related Idea

Idea 12769 Inference to best explanation contains all sorts of hidden values [Fraassen]