The Theory of Anything

Episode 97: Karl Popper On Conservatism in Music (w/Chris Johansen)


Listen Later

We take a deep dive into Karl Popper’s philosophical ideas about music that he outlines in four chapters in this intellectual autobiography Unended Quest:

  • “Music,”
  • Speculations about the Rise of Polyphonic Music,”
  • “Two Kinds of Music,” and
  • “Progressivism in Art, Especially in Music.” 
  • We are joined by Peter’s brother, Chris Johansen, who is a straight-ahead jazz tenor saxophonist living in NYC. 

    We discuss how Popper’s ideas on classical music intersect with Chris’s ideas on jazz, as well as the role of conservatism in music. We examine how Popper’s thinking on music influenced his concept of the 3 worlds and his ideas on such concepts as dogmatism, essentialism, and historicism. 

    Plus, you get Bruce's rant about the importance of constraints in music, science, criticism, and Popper's epistemology. Bruce argues that absent at least the attempt to outline epistemological conventions (i.e. constraints) you can't error correct Popper's epistemology and you lose what makes it special.

    You can listen to more of Chris’s music here.

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    The Theory of AnythingBy Bruce Nielson and Peter Johansen

    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5

    5

    25 ratings


    More shows like The Theory of Anything

    View all
    Making Sense with Sam Harris by Sam Harris

    Making Sense with Sam Harris

    26,462 Listeners

    The Tim Ferriss Show by Tim Ferriss: Bestselling Author, Human Guinea Pig

    The Tim Ferriss Show

    16,101 Listeners

    Conversations with Tyler by Mercatus Center at George Mason University

    Conversations with Tyler

    2,395 Listeners

    Philosophy For Our Times by IAI

    Philosophy For Our Times

    304 Listeners

    ToKCast by Brett Hall

    ToKCast

    94 Listeners

    Naval by Naval

    Naval

    2,096 Listeners

    Within Reason by Alex J O'Connor

    Within Reason

    1,531 Listeners

    Do Explain with Christofer Lövgren by Christofer Lövgren

    Do Explain with Christofer Lövgren

    23 Listeners

    Machine Learning Street Talk (MLST) by Machine Learning Street Talk (MLST)

    Machine Learning Street Talk (MLST)

    88 Listeners

    Increments by Ben Chugg and Vaden Masrani

    Increments

    16 Listeners

    Dwarkesh Podcast by Dwarkesh Patel

    Dwarkesh Podcast

    409 Listeners

    Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal by Theories of Everything

    Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

    467 Listeners

    Robinson's Podcast by Robinson Erhardt

    Robinson's Podcast

    243 Listeners

    The Falsifiable Podcast by Eric Denton

    The Falsifiable Podcast

    5 Listeners

    BG2Pod with Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley by BG2Pod

    BG2Pod with Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley

    461 Listeners