In this interview from the long-running series Closer to Truth, the British theoretical physicist and philosopher David Deutsch makes the case that understanding the difference between good and bad explanations is central to advancing knowledge. In conversation with the US presenter Robert Lawrence Kuhn, Deutsch outlines what he believes makes for a convincing explanation – primarily, unprejudiced thinking, relevance and specificity. Further, he argues that this framework for explanations is a vital corrective to a century in which what he calls ‘bad philosophy’, including logical positivism, has dominated, constraining the search for good ideas.
Why David Deutsch believes good explanations are the antidote to bad philosophy
Video by Closer to Truth
25 June 2025
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