Big ideas: Knowledge

Resources > Background knowledge

1. Karl Popper’s Falsification
Science is based on fact. Isn’t it? Karl Popper believed that human knowledge progresses through ‘falsification’. A theory or idea shouldn’t be described as scientific unless it could, in principle, be proven false.

Big Ideas: Knowledge, Karl Popper's Falsification

 


Source: BBC (2015); Open University (2015). History of Ideas.  Duration: 01:50

 

2. Wittgenstein’s Beetle in the Box Analogy
You cannot know exactly what it is like to be another person or experience things from their perspective. Wittgenstein had an analogy for this.

Big Ideas: Knowledge, Wittgenstein's Beetle in the Box Analogy

 


Source: BBC (2015); Open University (2015). History of Ideas.  Duration: 01:40

 

3. If a tree falls…
If a tree falls in a forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound? That’s the kind of head-scratching question that’s popularly believed to occupy the time and brains of philosophers. It relates to the ideas of immaterialism proposed by Bishop George Berkeley who asserted that the only things that exist are ideas and perceiving minds.

Big Ideas: Knowledge, If a tree falls..

 


Source: BBC (2015); Open University (2015). History of Ideas.  Duration: 01:50

 

4. Can You Believe in Miracles?
Can You Believe In Miracles? Philosopher David Hume thought you should look at the evidence.

Big Ideas: Knowledge, Can You Believe in Miracles

 


Source: BBC (2015); Open University (2015). History of Ideas.  Duration: 01:36


BIG IDEAS

01. Beginnings
02. Who am I?
03. Being human
04. Knowledge
05. Beauty
06. Love
07. Freedom
08. Society
09. The good life
10. Right from wrong
11. Justice
12. Technology

CONCEPTS EXPLAINED

01. Astronomy
02. Microgravity
03. Thoughts on theory
04. Theology explained
05. History of the English language
06. History of Money
07. Economics explained
08. The European Union explained

CREDIT TO:

credit_to__bbc-radio-4_and_Open-University