THEORY ? (What is a)
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 3529 ▶ |
| Object type | Epistemology, ontology or semantics, Methodology or model |
P. BAK writes: “According to one of the most fundamental principles of science, a theory is a statement about some phenomenon in nature that in principle can be confronted with reality and possibly falsified” (1996, p. 162)
The presence of the word “reality ” in this sentence puts us on shaky ground (See: “Ontological Skepticism or Agnosticism ”).
BAK pursues, however: “The description can be either verbal or mathematical. In physics, we use the language of mathematics to express our theories. To confront the theory with reality , we solve equations and compare with experiments” (Ibid). One problem with this is that experiments are constructed by the experimenter, i.e.“reality ” is “doctored” (The famous condition: “et ceteris paribus ”, which defines which context is to be neglected as - hypothetically - not relevant). Moreover, theory may subtly influence thegoal , forms and interpretations of the experience.
Anyhow, let us accept BAK's view: “If there is disagreement, we return to the drawing board”
He immediately adds: “”When theories are expressed verbally in terms of much less precise languages , the confrontation withfacts is much more cumbersome and leaves space for endless discussions among experts as to what constitutes the better description . Sometimes the experimental observation itself, without any condensation in more general principles, is viewed as a theory“ (Ibid)
Finally, there is no unequivocal way to unload the ? out of our inquiry.