Re: How to tell if a theory is a good one
From: robert j. kolker (nowhere_at_nowhere.net)
Date: 10/17/04
- Next message: robert j. kolker: "Re: How to tell if a theory is a good one"
- Previous message: Marvin Edwards: "Re: Theory of beliefs, belief fields"
- In reply to: mike3: "Re: How to tell if a theory is a good one"
- Next in thread: mike3: "Re: How to tell if a theory is a good one"
- Reply: mike3: "Re: How to tell if a theory is a good one"
- Reply: Bilge: "Re: How to tell if a theory is a good one"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ]
Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2004 09:27:25 -0400
mike3 wrote:
>
> Again, you're wrong.
The correctness of a theory consists exactly of the correctness of ALL
of its predictions. That is why a physical theory cannot be shown to be
true or correct since there are an infinite number of predictions.
You are correct to this extent. To show a theory is false, one needs to
produce a falsifying experiment. Otherwise we do not know whether the
theory is true or false. An unfalsifed theory cannot be said to be true,
since all of its possible predictions cannot be tested and shown to be
true.
So there are two states for a physical theory: False and Maybe False.
True is not a demonstrable state for a theory.
Bob Kolker
- Next message: robert j. kolker: "Re: How to tell if a theory is a good one"
- Previous message: Marvin Edwards: "Re: Theory of beliefs, belief fields"
- In reply to: mike3: "Re: How to tell if a theory is a good one"
- Next in thread: mike3: "Re: How to tell if a theory is a good one"
- Reply: mike3: "Re: How to tell if a theory is a good one"
- Reply: Bilge: "Re: How to tell if a theory is a good one"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ]
Relevant Pages
|
