LAW
Charles François (2004). LAW, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 1861.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1861 ▶ |
| Object type | Epistemology, ontology or semantics |
- “A statement, together with its qualifications, that postulates a constraint on the conceivable observations and that is not contradicted by observations or counter examples” (K. KRIPPENDORFF, 1986, p.43)
The 19th century science tended to consider scientific laws as kinds of absolute platonician revelations about the “nature of nature”.
KRIPPENDORFF echoes G+delian, Popperian as well as constructivists viewpoints when writing: “Inasmuch as they exclude something, laws are constructions, not to be confused with observable facts”. Moreover “… they are often self-referential” (Ibid).
It also seems difficult to think about “systemic” laws. Systemics reasons about patterns, processes, functions, structures, etc…, but in terms of models, homomorphic or, at best, isomorphic, to which only very few systemists, if any, seem disposed to recognize an absolute truth value.