From: John Burgeson (burgythree@hotmail.com)
Date: Mon Apr 07 2003 - 21:00:15 EDT
I had written: "
>4. If a theory survives long enough, it is referred to as "fact." Of
>course,
>this may be just word definitions. I like to equate "fact" with "truth," at
>least verisimilitudinous truth. Maybe I can do that.
Howard replied: "In the context of discussions about scientific theory
evaluation, words like
"hypothesis," "theory," "law," "fact" and "truth" are used in a bewildering
variety of ways. Scientists of all sorts could help by being more sensitive
to this sea of ambiguity and by being more candid about matters of
uncertainty, tentativeness, levels of confidence, incomplete knowledge, and
the like."
I'd go farther than this. It is just this ambiguity that leads to much of
the polemic arguments that abound. But I hasten to admit that I see that
ambiguity as inescapable. We have to use words to communicate, and each of
us uses those words just a tad differently than the next guy. Worse -- word
definitions change over time, and this is not going to stop.
I subsequently wrote:
>So far, as I understand, ID has not come up with anything terribly useful
>--
>that is, science today is pretty much where it would have been had ID never
>been invented. What must the ID folks show to convince the world of science
>they are to be taken seriously?
Howard replied: "
Here's one suggestion: To "convince the world of science that they are to be
taken seriously" ID science must demonstrate that it produces theories that
come out substantially better on theory evaluation criteria like: 1.
Observational relevance; 2. Predictive accuracy; 3. Coherence; 4.
Explanatory scope; 5. Unifying power; and 6. Fertility; without needing to
make a strong appeal to aesthetic qualities like Worldview Comportance."
And again we agree. Not much here to fight about, is there? <G>
With those four precepts pretty much in hand, I will -- later -- go on to
picking up some of the arguments in Del Ratzsch's recent book (not at hand
-- forgot title) which sets forth further considerations which might support
ID.
Burgy
www.burgy.50megs.com
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