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One of the reliable insights of philosophy of science is that scientific knowledge is virtually never incoherent.

Now here’s a surprising fact: Your kids’ future, and the future of their kids, very much depends on logical coherence-very much hinges on protecting them and their future from the incoherent claims of so-called climate “skeptics.” The price of sheep is unknown but they are cheap? No point trusting that bloke with your kids’ lives either, if their future depended on logical coherence. Now suppose you walk down the street and some other bloke sidles up and says, “The price of sheep is unknown, but I’d buy some now because they are cheap.” “Apples don’t exist but they grow naturally on trees?” Surely you wouldn’t trust that bloke with the lives of your children if their future depended on logical coherence. While your eyebrows are still rising, he adds, “but they grow naturally on trees!” Suppose a bloke drifts up to you and says, “Apples don’t exist”. The value of coherence in science Posted on 6 October 2010 by Stephan Lewandowsky