From: Alexanian, Moorad (alexanian@uncw.edu)
Date: Wed Sep 17 2003 - 08:38:10 EDT
Ancients used to explain eclipses and why the sun rises but could not
make predictions. The essence of a scientific theory is the ability to
make predictions and not merely give explanations, which is pure
phenomenology.
Moorad
-----Original Message-----
From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On
Behalf Of RFaussette@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 7:39 AM
To: allenroy@peoplepc.com
Cc: asa@calvin.edu
Subject: Re: Post-Empiricism Science: A little surprised
In a message dated 9/17/03 1:46:31 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
allenroy@peoplepc.com writes:
The evolutionary paradigm is just as religious and sacred as a
Creationary
paradigm. The only difference is that the evolutionary paradigm is
based upon
and accepted by blind faith. It is blind because it cannot be confirmed
by
anyone who could know.
T. Kuhn wrote that the strength of a hypothesis is in its explanatory
value. The explanatory value of evolutionary theory is so strong and
there is so much evidence for it that to dispute it at this point is to
dig your head in the sand.
"If a paradigm is ever to triumph it must gain some first supporters,
men who will develop it to
the point where hard headed arguments can be produced and multiplied.
And even those
arguments when they come are not individually decisive.
Because scientists are reasonable men, one or another argument will
ultimately persuade many
of them. But there is no single argument that can or should persuade
them all. Rather than a
single group conversion, what occurs is an increasing shift in the
distribution of professional
allegiances.
At the start, a new candidate for paradigm may have few supporters, and
on occasion the
supporters' motives may be suspect. Nevertheless, if they are competent,
they will improve it,
explore its possibilities and show what it would be like to belong to
the community guided by
it. And as that goes on, if the paradigm is one destined to win its
fight, the number and
strength of the professional arguments in its favor will increase.
More scientists will then be converted and the exploration of the new
paradigm will go on.
Gradually the number of experiments, instruments, articles and books
based upon the
paradigm will multiply. Still more men, convinced of the new view's
fruitfulness will adopt the
new mode of practicing normal science, until at last only a few elderly
hold-outs remain.
Though the historian can always find men, Priestley, for instance, who
were unreasonable to
resist for as long as they did, he will not find a point at which
resistance becomes illogical or
unscientific. At most he may wish to say that the man who continues to
resist after his whole
profession has been converted has ipso facto ceased to be a scientist."
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Thomas
S. Kuhns
Chapter: Resolution of Revolutions
rich faussette
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