Existence of Question
Does a question exist?
Questions/topics are one of several key categories of this encyclopedia. Are questions part of the process of scientific change, or are they merely a useful instrument for organizing scientonomic data? It seems apparent that the relevance of a question/topic may be different in different time periods and different mosaic. For instance, while the question of phlogiston's properties would be a legitimate research question in the mid-18th century, it is no longer legitimate in the contemporary chemistry. This seems to suggest that questions are not merely a useful instrument for storing and presenting scientonomic data, but are actually part of the process of scientific change.
In the scientonomic context, this question was first formulated by William Rawleigh in 2018. The question is currently accepted as a legitimate topic for discussion by Scientonomy community. The following claim concerning the existence of Question is currently accepted in Scientonomy:
- There is such a thing as a question.
Contents
Scientonomic History
Acceptance Record of the Question
Community | Accepted From | Acceptance Indicators | Still Accepted | Accepted Until | Rejection Indicators |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scientonomy | 12 May 2018 | The question of Existence of Question became accepted by virtue of the acceptance of Question. This is when Rawleigh's The Status of Questions in the Ontology of Scientific Change that offered a definition of question was published. This is a good indication that the question of how question is to be defined is considered legitimate by the community. | Yes |
All Direct Answers
Theory | Formulation | Formulated In |
---|---|---|
Question Exists | There is such a thing as a question. | 2018 |
Accepted Direct Answers
Community | Theory | Formulation | Accepted From | Accepted Until |
---|---|---|---|---|
Scientonomy | Question Exists | There is such a thing as a question. | 26 September 2018 |
Suggested Modifications
Modification | Community | Date Suggested | Summary | Date Assessed | Verdict | Verdict Rationale |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sciento-2018-0002 | Scientonomy | 12 May 2018 | Accept the ontology of epistemic elements with theories, methods, and questions as distinct epistemic elements. | 26 September 2018 | Accepted | Following several focused discussions - both in-person and on the discussion page of this modification - it was finally decided that the modification is to be accepted. Three important clarifications were made. First, it was noted that Rawleigh only shows that questions cannot be reduced either to methods or to theories, but it is still conceivable "that questions may be functions of both theories and methods simultaneously".c1 Second, it was decided that accepting the modification is still warranted, since currently we don't have any idea how questions could be reduced to a conjunction of theories and methods.c2 Third, scientonomists are actively encouraged to pursue the question of possibility of reducing questions to a conjunction of theories and methods.c3 |
Current View
In Scientonomy, the following claim concerning the existence of Question is currently accepted:
- There is such a thing as a question.
Question Exists states: "There is such a thing as a question."
Rawleigh argued that questions are an integral part of the process of scientific change.1
Related Topics
References
- ^ 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.