Commentary from Erik J. Olsson

The term hypothesis denotes something like a policy proposal rather than a factual claim. An organisational tool stands a greater chance of success if it is easy and fun to work with. Better Beliefs represents the current credibility status of hypotheses using the amusing analogy with a horse race, each horse representing a hypothesis. The colour of a horse depends on the votes and evidence provided for or against the hypothesis that it represents. A general prohibition against asserting falsehood or harmful propositions would have a chilling effect on free speech in violation of, for example, article 10 of the European convention of human rights. Only in particular cases, which in the legal frameworks of modern liberal democracies described in sufficiently precise terms, is false or harmful speech prohibited, for example in the interest of protecting a citizen’s reputation, in which case a precise law to this effect needs to be in place.