CF Dictionary · Critical Rationalism Terms
Beginning of Infinity
David Deutsch's extension of CR: knowledge creation is the beginning of infinity — problems are inevitable, but all are soluble in principle.
The Beginning of Infinity is David Deutsch's book extending CR. Its central claim: knowledge creation is the beginning of infinity. Problems are inevitable, but all problems are soluble — given the right knowledge.
The argument
- Problems are inevitable. Physics, math, biology, ethics — there will always be unsolved problems.
- Problems are soluble. Knowledge can be created to solve any problem.
- Knowledge creation has no upper bound. Therefore progress has no upper bound.
- Therefore, we're at the beginning of an infinite journey.
Why it matters
- Optimism is rational. Not because things are good now, but because they can always be improved.
- Pessimism is ignorance. Bad states are unsolved problems; problems are soluble.
- Good explanations are central. They create more problems, faster, and solve more problems, faster.
CF's adoption
CF keeps the book as a foundation for unbounded progress:
- All fields are at the beginning of infinity. Even "hard" fields like philosophy.
- Difficulty reflects our skill, not the subject. See rational-confidence-and-standards-for-knowledge.
- Paths Forward is how we keep creating knowledge.
Why it pairs with CF
- CR provides the epistemology.
- Deutsch provides the optimism.
- CF adds ToC for action and Oism for cognitive skill.