Difference between revisions of "Core Question"
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|Description=A scientific discipline normally deals with a great number of questions. However, not all of the question of a discipline are made equal, with some being more central than others. As the concept of ''core question'' intends to capture these central questions of a discipline, it is helpful to have a proper definition of the term. | |Description=A scientific discipline normally deals with a great number of questions. However, not all of the question of a discipline are made equal, with some being more central than others. As the concept of ''core question'' intends to capture these central questions of a discipline, it is helpful to have a proper definition of the term. | ||
|Parent Topic=Question | |Parent Topic=Question | ||
− | |Authors List=Cyrus Al-Zayadi | + | |Authors List=Paul Patton, Cyrus Al-Zayadi |
|Formulated Year=2021 | |Formulated Year=2021 | ||
|Academic Events=Scientonomy Seminar 2019 | |Academic Events=Scientonomy Seminar 2019 |
Revision as of 14:46, 1 August 2021
What is core question? How should it be defined?
A scientific discipline normally deals with a great number of questions. However, not all of the question of a discipline are made equal, with some being more central than others. As the concept of core question intends to capture these central questions of a discipline, it is helpful to have a proper definition of the term.
In the scientonomic context, this term was first used by Paul Patton and Cyrus Al-Zayadi in 2021. The term is currently accepted by Scientonomy community.
In Scientonomy, the accepted definition of the term is:
- A core question of a discipline is a question identified in the discipline’s delineating theory as definitive of the discipline.
Contents
Scientonomic History
Acceptance Record
Community | Accepted From | Acceptance Indicators | Still Accepted | Accepted Until | Rejection Indicators |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scientonomy | 1 August 2021 | This is when Patton and Al-Zayadi's Disciplines in the Scientonomic Ontology that offered a definition of the term was published. This is a good indication that the question of how the term is to be defined is considered legitimate by the community. | Yes |
All Theories
Theory | Formulation | Formulated In |
---|---|---|
Core Question (Patton-Al-Zayadi-2021) | A core question of a discipline is a question identified in the discipline’s delineating theory as definitive of the discipline. | 2021 |
If an answer to this question is missing, please click here to add it.
Accepted Theories
Community | Theory | Accepted From | Accepted Until |
---|---|---|---|
Scientonomy | Core Question (Patton-Al-Zayadi-2021) | 21 February 2024 |
Suggested Modifications
Modification | Community | Date Suggested | Summary | Verdict | Verdict Rationale | Date Assessed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sciento-2021-0006 | Scientonomy | 1 August 2021 | Accept new definitions of subquestion, core question, core theory, discipline, delineating theory, subdiscipline, and discipline acceptance. | Accepted | Prior to the 2024 workshop, Hakob Barseghyan commented on the encyclopedia indicating his support for accepting this modification and noted its potential to underpin further work on discipline dynamics. In fact, a significant amount of observational scientonomy work has been carried out in the past few years (including the paper on the rejection of alchemy by Friesen and Patton (2023),1 as well as some more recent papers) that presupposes the acceptance of these definitions, despite the fact that the modification containing them formally remains open. There was very little discussion about the modification, beyond raising points for the community to look forward to in the future, like a brief discussion between Jamie Shaw and Paul Patton about the need for more research on the difference between disciplines and disciplinary communities. The modification was accepted unanimously with 18 votes. | 21 February 2024 |
Current View
In Scientonomy, the accepted definition of the term is Core Question (Patton-Al-Zayadi-2021).
Core Question (Patton-Al-Zayadi-2021) states: "A core question of a discipline is a question identified in the discipline’s delineating theory as definitive of the discipline."
The core questions of a discipline are those general questions that are essential to a discipline, having the power to define it and establish its boundaries within a hierarchy of questions. They are identified as such in the discipline's delineating theory.2 The scientific mosaic consists of theories and questions.3456 Questions form hierarchies in which more specific questions are subquestions of broader questions. Theories enter into this hierarchy as well since questions presuppose theories, and theories are answers to questions. It is the position of core questions within such hierarchies that confer upon them the power to define and establish the boundaries of a discipline by indicating which questions and theories are included. For example, the question 'how did living things originate as a result of evolution?' is a core question of evolutionary biology.
Related Topics
This question is a subquestion of Question.
References
- ^ Friesen, Izzy and Patton, Paul. (2023) Discipline Dynamics of Chymistry and Rejection of Alchemy. Scientonomy 5, 93-110. Retrieved from https://scientojournal.com/index.php/scientonomy/article/view/42268.
- ^ Patton, Paul and Al-Zayadi, Cyrus. (2021) Disciplines in the Scientonomic Ontology. Scientonomy 4, 59-85. Retrieved from https://scientojournal.com/index.php/scientonomy/article/view/37123.
- ^ Barseghyan, Hakob. (2015) The Laws of Scientific Change. Springer.
- ^ Barseghyan, Hakob. (2018) Redrafting the Ontology of Scientific Change. Scientonomy 2, 13-38. Retrieved from https://scientojournal.com/index.php/scientonomy/article/view/31032.
- ^ Rawleigh, William. (2018) The Status of Questions in the Ontology of Scientific Change. Scientonomy 2, 1-12. Retrieved from https://scientojournal.com/index.php/scientonomy/article/view/29651.
- ^ Sebastien, Zoe. (2016) The Status of Normative Propositions in the Theory of Scientific Change. Scientonomy 1, 1-9. Retrieved from https://www.scientojournal.com/index.php/scientonomy/article/view/26947.