What can dead philosophers teach us about modern software development?
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The document discusses how concepts from philosophy, particularly those of Karl Popper, can inform modern software development and problem-solving approaches. It emphasizes the importance of humility, open-mindedness, and psychological safety in fostering an environment conducive to learning and knowledge creation. The conclusion highlights the unpredictable nature of future knowledge growth and the collective responsibility to shape it positively.
What can dead philosophers teach us about modern software development?
- 2. What can dead philosophers tell us about modern software development? Simon Wade
- 3. What do you know now that may prove to be false?
- 4. What about the world changing around you? Will this change over time?
- 5. Problem solving Navigating a problem space to achieve our goals
- 6. We are navigators, and we use incomplete knowledge and learning to find our way
- 7. The good news It gets better, and we get to do it together.
- 8. Philosophy can tell us things about problem solving
- 10. Generally regarded as one of the 20th century's greatest philosophers of science, Popper is known for his rejection of the classical inductivist views on the scientific method in favour of empirical falsification. Sir Karl Popper
- 12. Realism: There’s some serious shit out there
- 13. Empiricism: We can have knowledge of the shit
- 14. Rationalism: Reason and logic are some serious shit
- 15. “Simon Wade cannot consistently judge this statement to be true”
- 16. Rationalism: Reason and logic are some serious shit
- 17. Inductionism: Empirical observation is the good shit
- 18. Justificationism: Knowledge can be justified – some shit is made of gold
- 19. Skepticism: You don’t know shit
- 20. Constructivism: All this shit is constructed, so nothing is really true
- 21. Fallibilism: Gold-plate it all you like, but it’s still shit
- 22. The recognition that there are no authoritative sources of knowledge, nor any reliable means of justifying knowledge as true or probable. Fallibilism:
- 23. The philosophical claim that no belief may have justification that guarantees the truth of the belief; and that propositions can be accepted even though they cannot be proved with certainty Fallibilism:
- 24. Popper is known for his opposition to the classical justificationist account of knowledge, which he replaced with critical rationalism, namely "the first non-justificational philosophy of criticism in the history of philosophy". Critical Rationalism
- 25. Popper’s epistemological position is best characterised as an optimistic scepticism. Critical Rationalism
- 26. Truth is a verb
- 28. Culture says “people like us do things like this” So what are the things we can do to support learning and open-ended growth of knowledge?
- 29. Demonstrate humility and open-mindedness “Don’t-know mind” is your friend
- 30. Have strong opinions, weakly held It’s okay to change your mind
- 31. Authority is used to get things done, not to simply end discussion
- 32. Everyone feels safe to bring ideas, and to challenge them Psychological safety is the foundation of critical enquiry
- 33. Assertions are tested, and the ones that survive are embraced Evolution relies on selection
- 34. The new is shipped on a regular basis
- 35. Information flows in all directions Information is the fuel of knowledge creation
- 36. It’s okay to take risks, and alternative methods are not seen as disloyal
- 37. The Problem Space Navigator’s Manifesto ● Demonstrate humility and open-mindedness ● Have strong opinions, weakly held ● Authority is used to get things done, not to simply end discussion ● Everyone feels safe to bring ideas, and to challenge them with critical enquiry ● Assertions are tested, and the successful ones embraced ● The new is shipped on a regular basis ● Information flows in all directions ● It’s okay to take risks, and alternative methods are not seen as disloyal
- 38. Culture can support the open-ended growth of knowledge
- 39. A parting thought The future growth of knowledge cannot be predicted. This is exciting, and we are all contributors to this.
- 40. “The possibilities that lie in the future are infinite. When I say ‘It is our duty to remain optimists,’ this includes not only the openness of the future but also that which all of us contribute to it by everything we do: we are all responsible for what the future holds in store. Thus it is our duty, not to prophesy evil but, rather, to fight for a better world. Karl Popper, The Myth of the Framework (1994)
- 41. Come work at Envato! Optimising for awesome humans since 2006 - and it shows. Envato is an incredible place to work.