What Makes One Idea Better Than Another?

Showing only ideas leading to #5261.

See full discussion​·​See most recent related ideas
  Log in or sign up to participate in this discussion.
With an account, you can revise, criticize, and comment on ideas.
Discussions can branch out indefinitely. You may need to scroll sideways.
Benjamin Davies’s avatar
Benjamin DaviesOP​·​#5246​·​

When we reject explanation B in favour of explanation A, there must be some property of the explanations that comprehensively distinguishes A as better than B.

Criticized2*
Benjamin Davies’s avatar
Benjamin DaviesOP​·​#5261​·​

Progress does not require a complete ranking of every live explanation. If B has a fatal flaw while no fatal flaw is currently known in A or C, the flaw in B is enough to reject B while A and C both remain live. There does not need to be one property that all three explanations possess to different degrees.

Criticism of #5246