All Models Are Wrong (Part 2 of 4)

Since I opened the last blog in this series with a quote by an old nerdy white dude, I’ll bring another one into the conversation. 

Karl Popper was an influential 20th-century thinker who is best known for his contributions to the philosophy of science.

The reason that I mention him here is that he wrote a formula for evaluating our beliefs and Ideas. Bear with me on the equation before I break it down:

PS𝛘  -> TT𝛘 -> EE𝛘 ->  PS𝛘+1.

PS𝛘  leads to TT𝛘, which, in turn leads to EE𝛘, which completes the spiral back to PS𝛘+1.

PSx: Problem Situation – The current model doesn’t fit our needs

TTx: Tentative Theory – Come up with a model that is a better fit

EEx: Error Elimination – Try and break the model

PSx+1 : Problem Situation – The better fit current model doesn’t fit our needs

This is just a nerdy-ass framework that can help us evolve ourselves and the way we view the world. The most important part is Error Elimination, trying to break or disprove the model.  This is the thing that Logan won’t shut up about, disconfirming information. If we can not admit that something might not be right, it won’t change. 

Popper is acknowledging that everything is fallible; science, people, ideas. To me, this is not a negative view, but a positive one. In acknowledging this, there is opportunity for improvement, for GROWTH.

Another way to say this, which has been discussed before with the Human Action Model, is that we can’t fix what we don’t perceive to be broken. If we believe that our truth is absolute, or that our way is right. We would never course correct. There has to be a sense of unease for something to change. 

What I’m saying in this series is let’s cultivate that sense of unease more often. Let’s look for flaws in our efforts, systems, and lives so we can improve on them, so we can grow. Being ‘right’ all the time will stagnate our development. Personally, it’s also more draining emotionally than I want to commit to.