101summaries

Key Insights in this book: Deduction is preferable to induction, and scientists should work to disprove their beliefs rather than prove them. It is not always logical to choose which hypotheses to believe. Science only uses probability statements to a limited extent. Popper disagreed with Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Science isn’t about pursuing truth — it’s about achieving ever greater accuracy. Why should I care? Explore a classic of scientific philosophy from the 20th century. Imagine this In your little hometown, it's a gorgeous morning, so you've made the decision to take a quick stroll down the river. A stunning white swan swims around the closest bend while you're strolling along and enjoying the warm summer weather. Oh, and look! Another white swan is immediately behind it! Then another follows! Being a ponderous, scientific type, you identify a recurring theme. These swans are all white. It's also simple to create a small theory because these are the fir

Key Insights in this book: We wash ourselves excessively because of contemporary notions of "cleanliness." Throughout human history, the justifications for washing ourselves have varied. Advertising was utilised by the soap industry to change how people view hygiene. Though less severely regulated than medicines, skin care is slowly but surely encroaching on the realm of medicine. It's not always terrible to expose our skin to microorganisms. More than excessively strict hygiene habits, our usage of antibiotics likely compromises our health. The skin microbiota may contain vital data on our health. To stay healthy, we need a balance between cleanliness and exposure to germs. Why should I care? Learn how the extreme hygiene we practise today may be doing more damage than good. Imagine a society in which showering was no longer practised. I know, it's disgusting. But hold on. What if that future world was actually healthier for us? Believe it or not, author James Hambli