Community:Scientonomy
This scientonomic community was initially formed at the IHPST, University of Toronto around the time of the publication of Barseghyan's The Laws of Scientific Change1 with the main goal of establishing a proper science of science, scientonomy. The community publishes the Journal of Scientonomy, edits the Encyclopedia of Scientonomy, runs scientonomic seminars and workshops.
The community was established in 2015.
Contents
History
In the years preceding the publication of The Laws of Scientific Change1 (2012-2015), the community would mostly gather during winter seminar sessions.
In 2015, the community has started working on the establishment of a proper science of science, Scientonomy.
To that end, the community launched the first Encyclopedia of Scientonomy early in 2016. The aim of this encyclopedia is to track the current state of our knowledge on the process of scientific change, trace and appraise all the proposed modifications, as well as to list all the open questions.
In September of 2016, the community launched the Journal of Scientonomy which aims at publishing original research in the field and collecting all the proposed modifications.
The community's general annual meeting is usually on the first Friday of the winter semester at the University of Toronto. TODO: embed videos of the 2015 and 2016 meetings.
Road-map
The road-map of the community includes:
- Organizing annual workshops with the aim of discussing and those proposed modification which didn't yield a common verdict.
- Launching a pilot tree of knowledge project to develop a schema for a historical database, design a respective user interface, as well as to fill that pilot database with some historical data to show how the whole system can actually work.
- A full-fledged tree of knowledge website and a comprehensive historical database that would eventually include the theories and methods of all historical mosaics.
Current Mosaic
Accepted Topics
Definitional Topics
- Definition
- Delineating Theory
- Demarcation Criteria
- Descriptive Theory
- Discipline
- Discipline Acceptance
- Method
- Method Hierarchy
- Methodology
- Model
- Mosaic Merge
- Mosaic Split
- Multiple Authority Delegation
- Mutual Authority Delegation
- Scientific Change
- Scientific Community
- Scientific Mosaic
- Scientonomy
- Singular Authority Delegation
- Social Level
- Sociocultural Factors
- Subdiscipline
- Subquestion
- Substantive Method
Descriptive Topics
- Applicability of the Laws of Scientific Change
- Application of Scientonomy to Other Fields
- Delegation of Authority to Artifacts
- Delegation of Authority to Individuals
- Delegation of Authority to Past Communities
- Deriving Methods from an Empty Set
- Existence of Method Hierarchies
- Hierarchy of Theories
- Mechanism of Error Rejection
- Mechanism of Normative Theory Rejection
- Mechanism of Scientific Change
- Changeability of the Scientific Mosaic
- Determinism vs. Underdeterminism in Scientific Change
- Mechanism of Compatibility
- Mechanism of Discipline Acceptance
- Mechanism of Discipline Rejection
- Mechanism of Method Rejection
- Mechanism of Mosaic Split
- Mechanism of Norm Employment
- Mechanism of Question Rejection
- Mechanism of Scientific Inertia for Epistemic Elements
- Mechanism of Theory Acceptance
- Mechanism of Theory Pursuit
- Methods Shaping Theory Construction
- Role of Ethics in Scientific Change
- Role of Methodology in Scientific Change
- Role of Non-Social and Environmental Factors in Scientific Change
- Role of Practical Considerations in Scientific Change
- Role of Sociocultural Factors in Scientific Change
- The Status of Holism and Ripple Effect
- Necessary Epistemic Elements
- Normative Effects of Scientonomy
- Possibility of Scientonomy
- Possibility of Scientonomy - Argument from Bad Track Record
- Possibility of Scientonomy - Argument from Changeability of Scientific Method
- Possibility of Scientonomy - Preconditions
- Possibility of Scientonomy - The Argument from Nothing Permanent
- Possibility of Scientonomy - The Argument from Social Construction
- Pursuit and Acceptance
- Pursuit as Acceptance
- Role of Employed Methods in Question Acceptance
- Status of Tacit Theories
- Status of Technological Knowledge
- Tautological Status of Method Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-2015)
- Tautological Status of Norm Rejection theorem (Pandey-2023)
- Tautological Status of Question Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-Levesley-2021)
- Tautological Status of Question Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-Levesley-Pandey-2023)
- Tautological Status of The First Law (Barseghyan-2015)
- Tautological Status of The First Law for Methods (Barseghyan-2015)
- Tautological Status of The First Law for Norms (Barseghyan-Pandey-2023)
- Tautological Status of The First Law for Questions (Barseghyan-Pandey-2023)
- Tautological Status of The First Law for Theories (Barseghyan-2015)
- Tautological Status of The First Law for Theories (Barseghyan-Pandey-2023)
- Tautological Status of The Law of Compatibility (Fraser-Sarwar-2018)
- Tautological Status of The Law of Theory Demarcation (Sarwar-Fraser-2018)
- Tautological Status of The Second Law (Barseghyan-2015)
- Tautological Status of The Second Law (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017)
- Tautological Status of The Zeroth Law (Harder-2015)
- Tautological Status of Theory Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-2015)
- Tautological Status of Theory Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-Pandey-2023)
- The Necessity of Intercommunication for Community
- The Necessity of Language in Community
- Theory Assessment Outcomes
- Theory Displacement
Normative Topics
- Assessment of Scientonomy
- Indicators of Communities
- Indicators of Method Employment
- Indicators of Question Acceptance
- Indicators of Theory Acceptance
- Indicators of Violation
- Inferring Theory Assessment Outcomes
- Scientonomic Workflow
- Scope of Scientonomy
- Scope of Scientonomy - Acceptance Use and Pursuit
- Scope of Scientonomy - Construction and Appraisal
- Scope of Scientonomy - Descriptive and Normative
- Scope of Scientonomy - Explicit and Implicit
- Scope of Scientonomy - Individual and Social
- Scope of Scientonomy - Mosaic Formation
- Scope of Scientonomy - Time Fields and Scale
Accepted Theories
Definitions and Ontology
Here is the summary of the ontology and definitions currently accepted by the community:
Term | Definition | Upper Class | Existence | Subtypes | Supertypes | Associations | Disjointness |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acceptance Criteria | Acceptance Criteria (Barseghyan-2015): Criteria for determining whether a theory is acceptable or unacceptable. | Endurant | Exists | An acceptance criterion is always part of some method. | |||
Accidental Group | Accidental Group (Overgaard-2017): A group that does not have a collective intentionality. | Endurant | Exists | Group | |||
Authority Delegation | Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): Epistemic agent A is said to be delegating authority over question x to epistemic agent B iff (1) agent A accepts that agent B is an expert on question x and (2) agent A will accept a theory answering question x if agent B says so. | Association | Exists | On the basis of cardinality: Singular Authority Delegation and Multiple Authority Delegation. On the basis of reciprocity: Mutual Authority Delegation and One-sided Authority Delegation. | |||
Community | Community (Overgaard-2017): A group that has a collective intentionality. | Endurant | Exists | Group | A community can delegate authority to another community. | ||
Compatibility | Compatibility (Fraser-Sarwar-2018): The ability of two elements to coexist in the same mosaic. | Perdurant | Exists | Epistemic Stance | |||
Compatibility Criteria | Compatibility Criteria (Fraser-Sarwar-2018): Criteria for determining whether two elements are compatible or incompatible. | Endurant | Exists | A compatibility criterion is always part of some method. | |||
Core Question | 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. | Endurant | Exists | ||||
Core Theory | Core Theory (Patton-Al-Zayadi-2021): A core theory of a discipline is a theory presupposed by the discipline’s core questions. | Endurant | Exists | ||||
Definition | Definition (Barseghyan-2018): A statement of the meaning of a term. | Endurant | Exists | Theory | |||
Delineating Theory | Delineating Theory (Patton-Al-Zayadi-2021): A second-order theory identifying the set of core questions of a discipline. | Endurant | Exists | A discipline has one delineating theory. | |||
Demarcation Criteria | Demarcation Criteria (Barseghyan-2015): Criteria for determining whether a theory is scientific or unscientific. | Endurant | Exists | A demarcation criterion is always part of some method. | |||
Descriptive Theory | Descriptive Theory (Sebastien-2016): A set of propositions that attempts to describe something. | Endurant | Exists | Theory | |||
Discipline | Discipline (Patton-Al-Zayadi-2021): A discipline is characterized by (1) a non-empty set of core questions Q and (2) the delineating theory stating that Q are the core questions of the discipline. | Endurant | Exists | A discipline can have any number of theories. Each theory can be included into any number disciplines. A discipline has at least one core question. A discipline has one delineating theory. A discipline has at least one question. Each question can be included in any number disciplines. | |||
Discipline Acceptance | Discipline Acceptance (Patton-Al-Zayadi-2021): A discipline is said to be accepted by an epistemic agent if that agent accepts the core questions specified in the discipline’s delineating theory as well as the delineating theory itself. | Perdurant | Exists | ||||
Element Decay | Perdurant | Theory Decay | |||||
Epistemic Action | Perdurant | ||||||
Epistemic Agent | Epistemic Agent (Patton-2019): An agent capable of taking epistemic stances towards epistemic elements. | Endurant | Exists | Epistemic Community and Individual Epistemic Agent | An epistemic agent can delegate authority to another epistemic agent. | ||
Epistemic Community | Endurant | Exists | Epistemic Agent | ||||
Epistemic Element | Endurant | Exists | Question and Theory | ||||
Epistemic Presupposition | Epistemic Presupposition (Barseghyan-Levesley-2021): A theory is said to be an epistemic presupposition of a question for some agent, iff the agent accepts that accepting any direct answer to the question will necessitate accepting the theory. | Association | Exists | ||||
Epistemic Stance | Perdurant | Exists | Theory Use, Theory Pursuit, Question Acceptance, Norm Employment, Compatibility and Theory Acceptance | ||||
Error | Error (Machado-Marques-Patton-2021): An epistemic agent is said to commit an error if the agent accepts a theory that should not have been accepted given that agent’s employed method. | Perdurant | Exists | ||||
Explicable-Implicit | Explicable-Implicit (Mirkin-Barseghyan-2018): Propositional knowledge that hasn’t been openly formulated by the agent. | Quality | Implicit | ||||
Explicit | Explicit (Mirkin-Barseghyan-2018): Propositional knowledge that has been openly formulated by the agent. | Quality | |||||
Global Epistemic Action | Perdurant | ||||||
Group | Group (Overgaard-2017): Two or more people who share any characteristic. | Endurant | Exists | Community and Accidental Group | |||
Hierarchical Authority Delegation | Hierarchical Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): A sub-type of multiple authority delegation where different epistemic agents are delegated different degrees of authority over question x. | Association | Exists | Multiple Authority Delegation | |||
History of Scientific Change | History of Scientific Change (Barseghyan-2015): A descriptive discipline that attempts to trace and explain individual changes in the scientific mosaic. | Endurant | |||||
Implicit | Implicit (Mirkin-Barseghyan-2018): Not explicit. | Quality | Explicable-Implicit and Inexplicable | ||||
Individual Epistemic Agent | Endurant | Exists | Epistemic Agent | ||||
Individual Level | Individual Level (Barseghyan-2015): The level of the beliefs of the individual scientist about the world and the rules she employs in theory assessment. | Endurant | |||||
Inexplicable | Inexplicable (Mirkin-Barseghyan-2018): Non-propositional knowledge, i.e. knowledge that cannot, even in principle, be formulated as a set of propositions. | Quality | Implicit | ||||
Local Action Availability | Endurant | ||||||
Local Epistemic Action | Perdurant | ||||||
Logical Presupposition | Logical Presupposition (Barseghyan-Levesley-2021): A theory is said to be a logical presupposition of a question, iff the theory is logically entailed by any direct answer to the question. | Association | Exists | ||||
Method | Method (Barseghyan-2018): A set of criteria for theory evaluation. | Endurant | Exists | Substantive Method and Procedural Method | Normative Theory | An acceptance criterion is always part of some method. A compatibility criterion is always part of some method. A demarcation criterion is always part of some method. | |
Method Hierarchy | Endurant | ||||||
Methodology | Methodology (Barseghyan-2018): A normative discipline that formulates the rules which ought to be employed in theory assessment. | Endurant | Exists | ||||
Model | Endurant | ||||||
Mosaic Merge | Mosaic Merge (Barseghyan-2015): A scientific change where two mosaics turn into one united mosaic. | Endurant | Exists | ||||
Mosaic Split | Mosaic Split (Barseghyan-2015): A scientific change where one mosaic transforms into two or more mosaics. | Perdurant | Exists | ||||
Multiple Authority Delegation | Multiple Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): Epistemic agent A is said to engage in a relationship of multiple authority delegation over question x iff A delegates authority over question x to more than one epistemic agent. | Association | Exists | Hierarchical Authority Delegation and Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation | Authority Delegation | ||
Mutual Authority Delegation | Mutual Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): Epistemic agents A and B are said to be in a relationship of mutual authority delegation iff A delegates authority over question x to B, and B delegates authority over question y to A. | Association | Exists | Authority Delegation | |||
Non-Epistemic Community | Endurant | ||||||
Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation | Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): A sub-type of multiple authority delegation where different epistemic agents are delegated the same degree of authority over question x. | Association | Exists | Multiple Authority Delegation | |||
Norm Employment | Norm Employment (Barseghyan-2018): A norm is said to be employed if its requirements constitute the actual expectations of an epistemic agent. | Perdurant | Exists | Epistemic Stance | |||
Normative Theory | Normative Theory (Sebastien-2016): A set of propositions that attempts to prescribe something. | Endurant | Exists | Method | Theory | ||
One-sided Authority Delegation | One-sided Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): Epistemic agents A and B are said to be in a relationship of one-sided authority delegation iff A delegates authority over question x to B, but B doesn’t delegate any authority to A. | Association | Exists | Authority Delegation | |||
Outcome Inconclusive | Outcome Inconclusive (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017): It is unclear whether or not the requirements of the method employed at the time are met. | Quality | |||||
Outcome Not Satisfied | Outcome Not Satisfied (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017): The theory is deemed to conclusively not meet the requirements of the method employed at the time. | Quality | |||||
Outcome Satisfied | Outcome Satisfied (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017): The theory is deemed to conclusively meet the requirements of the method employed at the time. | Quality | |||||
Procedural Method | Procedural Method (Barseghyan-2015): A method which doesn't presuppose any contingent propositions. | Endurant | Exists | Method | |||
Question | Question (Rawleigh-2018): A topic of inquiry. | Endurant | Exists | Epistemic Element | A discipline has at least one core question. A discipline has at least one question. Each question can be included in any number disciplines. A question can have subquestions. A question can presuppose theories. A theory is an answer to a question. | ||
Question Acceptance | Question Acceptance (Rawleigh-2018): A question is said to be accepted if it is taken as a legitimate topic of inquiry. | Perdurant | Exists | Epistemic Stance | |||
Question Pursuit | Perdurant | ||||||
Reason | Endurant | ||||||
Scientific Change | Scientific Change (Barseghyan-2015): Any change in the scientific mosaic, i.e. a transition from one accepted theory to another or from one employed method to another. | Perdurant | Exists | ||||
Scientific Community | Endurant | Exists | |||||
Scientific Mosaic | Scientific Mosaic (Rawleigh-2022): A model of all epistemic elements accepted or employed by the epistemic agent. | Endurant | Exists | ||||
Scientonomy | Scientonomy (Barseghyan-2015): A descriptive discipline that attempts to uncover the actual general mechanism of scientific change. | Endurant | Exists | ||||
Singular Authority Delegation | Singular Authority Delegation (Patton-2019): Epistemic agent A is said to engage in a relationship of singular authority delegation over question x iff A delegates authority over question x to exactly one epistemic agent. | Association | Exists | Authority Delegation | |||
Social Level | Social Level (Barseghyan-2015): The level of the scientific community and its mosaic of accepted theories and employed methods. | Endurant | |||||
Sociocultural Factors | Endurant | Exists | |||||
Subdiscipline | Subdiscipline (Patton-Al-Zayadi-2021): A discipline A is a subdiscipline of another discipline B, iff the set of questions of A, QA, is a proper subset of the questions of B, QB, i.e. QA ⸦ QB. | Endurant | Exists | ||||
Subquestion | Subquestion (Patton-Al-Zayadi-2021): A question Q is a subquestion of another question Q’, iff any direct answer to Q is also a partial answer to Q’. | Association | Exists | ||||
Substantive Method | Substantive Method (Barseghyan-2015): A method which presupposes at least one contingent proposition. | Endurant | Exists | Method | |||
Theory | Theory (Sebastien-2016): A set of propositions. | Endurant | Exists | Normative Theory, Descriptive Theory and Definition | Epistemic Element | A discipline can have any number of theories. Each theory can be included into any number disciplines. A question can presuppose theories. A theory is an answer to a question. | |
Theory Acceptance | Theory Acceptance (Barseghyan-2018): A theory is said to be accepted by an epistemic agent if it is taken as the best available answer to its respective question. | Perdurant | Exists | Epistemic Stance | |||
Theory Decay | Perdurant | Element Decay | |||||
Theory Pursuit | Theory Pursuit (Barseghyan-2015): A theory is said to be pursued if it is considered worthy of further development. | Perdurant | Exists | Epistemic Stance | |||
Theory Use | Theory Use (Barseghyan-2015): A theory is said to be used if it is taken as an adequate tool for practical application. | Perdurant | Exists | Epistemic Stance |
Dynamics
Topic | Accepted Answer | Answer's Formulation | Answer Type |
---|---|---|---|
Changeability of the Scientific Mosaic | Dogmatism No Theory Change theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | If an accepted theory is taken as the final truth, it will always remain accepted; no new theory on the subject can ever be accepted. | Complete |
Compatibility of Mosaic Elements | Compatibility Corollary (Fraser-Sarwar-2018) | At any moment of time, the elements of the scientific mosaic are compatible with each other. | Complete |
Determinism vs. Underdeterminism in Scientific Change | Underdetermined Method Change theorem (Barseghyan-2015) Underdetermined Theory Change theorem (Barseghyan-2015) Scientific Underdeterminism theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | Transitions from one state of the mosaic to another are not necessarily deterministic. Scientific change is not a strictly deterministic process. The process of method change is not necessarily deterministic: employed methods are by no means the only possible implementations of abstract requirements. The process of theory change is not necessarily deterministic: there may be cases when both a theory's acceptance and its unacceptance are equally possible. | Complete |
Mechanism of Compatibility | The Law of Compatibility (Fraser-Sarwar-2018) | If a pair of elements satisfies the compatibility criteria employed at the time, it becomes compatible within the mosaic; if it does not, it is deemed incompatible; and if assessment is inconclusive, the pair can become compatible, incompatible, or its status may be unknown. | Complete |
Mechanism of Error Rejection | Error Rejection by Replacement (Machado-Marques-Patton-2021) | The handling of instances of scientific error is consistent with the theory rejection theorem; it involves a replacement of an erroneously accepted theory either with a first- or second-order proposition. | Complete |
Mechanism of Method Employment | The Law of Method Employment (Rawleigh-2022) | A method becomes employed only if it is derivable from a non-empty subset of other elements of the mosaic. | Complete |
Mechanism of Method Rejection | Method Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | A method ceases to be employed only when other methods that are incompatible with the method become employed. | Complete |
Mechanism of Mosaic Split | Necessary Mosaic Split theorem (Barseghyan-2015) Possible Mosaic Split theorem (Barseghyan-2015) Split Due to Inconclusiveness theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | When two mutually incompatible theories satisfy the requirements of the current method, the mosaic necessarily splits in two. When a theory assessment outcome is inconclusive, a mosaic split is possible. When a mosaic split is a result of the acceptance of only one theory, it can only be a result of inconclusive theory assessment. | Complete |
Mechanism of Norm Employment | The Law of Norm Employment (Rawleigh-2022) | A norm becomes employed only if it is derivable from a non-empty subset of other elements of the mosaic. | Complete |
Mechanism of Question Rejection | Question Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-Levesley-2021) | A question becomes rejected when other elements that are incompatible with the question become accepted. | Complete |
Mechanism of Scientific Change | Methodology Can Shape Method theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | A methodology can shape employed methods, but only if its requirements implement abstract requirements of some other employed method. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Change | The Law of Norm Employment (Rawleigh-2022) | A norm becomes employed only if it is derivable from a non-empty subset of other elements of the mosaic. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Change | Question Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-Levesley-2021) | A question becomes rejected when other elements that are incompatible with the question become accepted. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Change | The Law of Compatibility (Fraser-Sarwar-2018) | If a pair of elements satisfies the compatibility criteria employed at the time, it becomes compatible within the mosaic; if it does not, it is deemed incompatible; and if assessment is inconclusive, the pair can become compatible, incompatible, or its status may be unknown. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Change | Method Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | A method ceases to be employed only when other methods that are incompatible with the method become employed. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Change | Necessary Mosaic Split theorem (Barseghyan-2015) Possible Mosaic Split theorem (Barseghyan-2015) Split Due to Inconclusiveness theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | When two mutually incompatible theories satisfy the requirements of the current method, the mosaic necessarily splits in two. When a theory assessment outcome is inconclusive, a mosaic split is possible. When a mosaic split is a result of the acceptance of only one theory, it can only be a result of inconclusive theory assessment. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Change | Underdetermined Method Change theorem (Barseghyan-2015) Underdetermined Theory Change theorem (Barseghyan-2015) Scientific Underdeterminism theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | Transitions from one state of the mosaic to another are not necessarily deterministic. Scientific change is not a strictly deterministic process. The process of method change is not necessarily deterministic: employed methods are by no means the only possible implementations of abstract requirements. The process of theory change is not necessarily deterministic: there may be cases when both a theory's acceptance and its unacceptance are equally possible. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Change | The First Law (Barseghyan-2015) | An element of the mosaic remains in the mosaic unless replaced by other elements. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Change | The Second Law (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) | If a theory satisfies the acceptance criteria of the method employed at the time, it becomes accepted into the mosaic; if it does not, it remains unaccepted; if assessment is inconclusive, the theory can be accepted or not accepted. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Change | Sociocultural Factors in Theory Acceptance theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | Sociocultural factors can affect the process of theory acceptance insofar as it is permitted by the method employed at the time. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Change | Dogmatism No Theory Change theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | If an accepted theory is taken as the final truth, it will always remain accepted; no new theory on the subject can ever be accepted. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Inertia for Epistemic Elements | The First Law (Barseghyan-2015) | An element of the mosaic remains in the mosaic unless replaced by other elements. | Complete |
Mechanism of Scientific Inertia for Methods | The First Law for Methods (Barseghyan-2015) | An employed method remains employed unless replaced by other methods. | Complete |
Mechanism of Scientific Inertia for Normative Theories | The First Law for Methods (Barseghyan-2015) | An employed method remains employed unless replaced by other methods. | Partial |
Mechanism of Scientific Inertia for Theories | The First Law for Theories (Barseghyan-2015) | An accepted theory remains accepted unless replaced by other theories. | Complete |
Mechanism of Theory Acceptance | The Second Law (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) | If a theory satisfies the acceptance criteria of the method employed at the time, it becomes accepted into the mosaic; if it does not, it remains unaccepted; if assessment is inconclusive, the theory can be accepted or not accepted. | Complete |
Necessary Epistemic Elements | Necessary Method theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | In order for the process of scientific change to be possible, the mosaic must necessarily contain at least one employed method. | Partial |
Necessary Methods | Necessary Method theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | In order for the process of scientific change to be possible, the mosaic must necessarily contain at least one employed method. | Complete |
Necessary Normative Theories | Necessary Method theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | In order for the process of scientific change to be possible, the mosaic must necessarily contain at least one employed method. | Partial |
Necessary Theories | Necessary Method theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | In order for the process of scientific change to be possible, the mosaic must necessarily contain at least one employed method. | Partial |
Ontology of Scientific Change | Theory Assessment Outcomes (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) | The possible outcomes of theory assessment are satisfied, not satisfied, and inconclusive. | Partial |
Possibility of Scientonomy - Argument from Bad Track Record | Response to the Argument from Bad Track Record (Barseghyan-2015) | The failures of past theories of scientific change do not imply the inevitability of future failure or that the enterprise in inherently unsound. | Complete |
Possibility of Scientonomy - Argument from Changeability of Scientific Method | Response to the Argument from Changeability of Scientific Method (Barseghyan-2015) | Scientonomy does not postulate the existence of a universal and unchanging method of science; thus the fact that methods of science are changeable is not detrimental to the prospects of scientonomy. | Complete |
Possibility of Scientonomy - The Argument from Nothing Permanent | Response to the Argument from Nothing Permanent (Barseghyan-2015) | If there were indeed nothing permanent in science, then scientonomy would be impossible, however, scientonomy posits only that there are regularities in the process of scientific change. | Complete |
Possibility of Scientonomy - The Argument from Social Construction | Response to the Argument from Social Construction (Barseghyan-2015) | Science can be said to be socially constructed in several different senses (e.g. the contingency, nominalist, and reducibility theses). None of these preclude the possibility of scientonomy. | Complete |
Possibility of Scientonomy | Possibility of Scientonomy (Barseghyan-2015) | Scientonomy is possible because the process of scientific change exhibits lawful general regularities. | Complete |
Pursuit as Acceptance | Pursuit as Distinct from Acceptance (Barseghyan-2015) | Pursuit is a distinct epistemic stance that is not reducible to or expressible through acceptance. | Complete |
Role of Methodology in Scientific Change | Methodology Can Shape Method theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | A methodology can shape employed methods, but only if its requirements implement abstract requirements of some other employed method. | Complete |
Role of Sociocultural Factors in Scientific Change | Sociocultural Factors in Theory Acceptance theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | Sociocultural factors can affect the process of theory acceptance insofar as it is permitted by the method employed at the time. | Partial |
Role of Sociocultural Factors in Theory Acceptance | Sociocultural Factors in Theory Acceptance theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | Sociocultural factors can affect the process of theory acceptance insofar as it is permitted by the method employed at the time. | Complete |
Status of Technological Knowledge | Technological Knowledge as Part of Mosaic (Mirkin-2018) | Propositional technological knowledge can be accepted and be part of a mosaic. | Complete |
Synchronism vs. Asynchronism of Method Employment | Asynchronism of Method Employment theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | The employment of new methods can be but is not necessarily a result of the acceptance of new theories. | Complete |
Synchronism vs. Asynchronism of Method Rejection | Synchronism of Method Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-2015) | A method becomes rejected only when some of the theories, from which it follows, also become rejected. | Complete |
Tautological Status of The Law of Compatibility (Fraser-Sarwar-2018) | The Law of Compatibility (Fraser-Sarwar-2018) is Not Tautological (Fraser-Sarwar-2018) | The law of compatibility suggested by Fraser and Sarwar in 2018 is not tautological. | Complete |
Tautological Status of The Second Law (Barseghyan-2015) | The Second Law (Barseghyan-2015) is Tautological (Barseghyan-2015) | Barseghyan's original second law is tautological. | Complete |
Tautological Status of The Second Law (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) | The Second Law (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) is Not Tautological (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) | The second law suggested by Patton, Overgaard, and Barseghyan in 2017 is not tautological. | Complete |
Tautological Status of The Zeroth Law (Harder-2015) | The Zeroth Law (Harder-2015) is Tautological (Fraser-Sarwar-2018) | Harder's zeroth law is tautological. | Complete |
The Paradox of Normative Propositions | Resolution to the Paradox of Normative Propositions (Sebastien-2016) | The new third law resolves the paradox of normative propositions by making it clear that employed methods don't necessarily follow from all accepted theories, but only from some. | Complete |
Theory Assessment Outcomes | Theory Assessment Outcomes (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) | The possible outcomes of theory assessment are satisfied, not satisfied, and inconclusive. | Complete |
Norms
Topic | Accepted Answer | Answer's Formulation | Answer Type |
---|---|---|---|
Assessment of Scientonomy - Relevant Facts | Assessment of Scientonomy - Relevant Facts (Barseghyan-2015) | At the level of metatheory, the relevant evidence for assessing a scientonomic theory ought to be the facts relating to the state of the scientific mosaic and its transitions. The complete list of relevant phenomena that ought to be considered can only be identified for a specific scientonomic theory. | Complete |
Assessment of Scientonomy | Assessment of Scientonomy - Relevant Facts (Barseghyan-2015) | At the level of metatheory, the relevant evidence for assessing a scientonomic theory ought to be the facts relating to the state of the scientific mosaic and its transitions. The complete list of relevant phenomena that ought to be considered can only be identified for a specific scientonomic theory. | Partial |
Indicators of Method Employment | Indicators of Method Employment (Barseghyan-2015) | The employed method of theory appraisal of a community at some time is not necessarily indicated by the methodological texts of that time and must be inferred from actual patterns of theory acceptance and other indirect evidence. | Complete |
Indicators of Theory Acceptance | Indicators of Theory Acceptance (Barseghyan-2015) | Indicators of theory acceptance are textual sources that represent the position of a scientific community regarding a theory at some time. Useful indicators are contextual to time and culture. They might include such things as encyclopedias, textbooks, university curricula, and minutes of association meetings. | Complete |
Scientonomic Workflow | Scientonomic Workflow (Barseghyan et al.-2016) | Scientonomic knowledge is best advanced by:
| Complete |
Scope of Scientonomy - Acceptance Use and Pursuit | Scope of Scientonomy - Acceptance (Barseghyan-2015) | Scientonomy ought to address the issue of how transitions from one accepted theory to another take place and what logic governs this evolution, and need not deal in questions of theory pursuit or use. | Complete |
Scope of Scientonomy - Construction and Appraisal | Scope of Scientonomy - Appraisal (Barseghyan-2015) | Scientonomy should describe and explain how changes in the mosaic of accepted scientific theories and employed methods take place. Any such instance of scientific change is a result of appraisal, which is a decision of the community to accept a proposed modification to the mosaic. Scientonomy must provide an account of this appraisal process. A theory of scientific change is not required to account for the process of theory construction. | Complete |
Scope of Scientonomy - Descriptive and Normative | Scope of Scientonomy - Descriptive (Barseghyan-2015) | Scientonomy is a descriptive discipline whose main task is to explain the process of changes in the scientific mosaic. It is distinct from normative methodology, whose task is to evaluate and prescribe methods. The findings of scientonomy may be used in such normative evaluations, but scientonomy itself should not be expected to perform any normative functions. | Complete |
Scope of Scientonomy - Explicit and Implicit | Scope of Scientonomy - Implicit and Explicit (Barseghyan-2017) | A scientonomic theory ought to distinguish between explicit statements of methodology, and actual employed methods, which may sometimes be implicit. It ought to account for employed methods, whether they correspond with stated methodology, or are purely implicit. | Complete |
Scope of Scientonomy - Individual and Social | Scope of Scientonomy - Social (Barseghyan-2015) | It is implicit in the definition of scientonomy that it should explain changes in the scientific mosaic of accepted theories and employed methods, which are changes at the level of the scientific community. It need not account for changes at the level of the beliefs of individuals. | Complete |
Scope of Scientonomy - Time Fields and Scale | Scope of Scientonomy - All Fields (Barseghyan-2015) Scope of Scientonomy - All Scales (Barseghyan-2015) Scope of Scientonomy - All Time Periods (Barseghyan-2015) | Scientonomy should account for all changes to the scientific mosaic, regardless of which fields of inquiry they concern. Scientonomy should provide explanations of all kinds of changes to the scientific mosaic at all scales from the most minor transitions to the most major. Scientonomy ought to account for all scientific changes for all time periods where a scientific mosaic can be found. | Complete |
Scope of Scientonomy | Scope of Scientonomy - Social (Barseghyan-2015) | It is implicit in the definition of scientonomy that it should explain changes in the scientific mosaic of accepted theories and employed methods, which are changes at the level of the scientific community. It need not account for changes at the level of the beliefs of individuals. | Partial |
Scope of Scientonomy | Scope of Scientonomy - Descriptive (Barseghyan-2015) | Scientonomy is a descriptive discipline whose main task is to explain the process of changes in the scientific mosaic. It is distinct from normative methodology, whose task is to evaluate and prescribe methods. The findings of scientonomy may be used in such normative evaluations, but scientonomy itself should not be expected to perform any normative functions. | Partial |
Scope of Scientonomy | Scope of Scientonomy - Appraisal (Barseghyan-2015) | Scientonomy should describe and explain how changes in the mosaic of accepted scientific theories and employed methods take place. Any such instance of scientific change is a result of appraisal, which is a decision of the community to accept a proposed modification to the mosaic. Scientonomy must provide an account of this appraisal process. A theory of scientific change is not required to account for the process of theory construction. | Partial |
Scope of Scientonomy | Scope of Scientonomy - Acceptance (Barseghyan-2015) | Scientonomy ought to address the issue of how transitions from one accepted theory to another take place and what logic governs this evolution, and need not deal in questions of theory pursuit or use. | Partial |
Scope of Scientonomy | Scope of Scientonomy - All Fields (Barseghyan-2015) Scope of Scientonomy - All Scales (Barseghyan-2015) Scope of Scientonomy - All Time Periods (Barseghyan-2015) | Scientonomy should account for all changes to the scientific mosaic, regardless of which fields of inquiry they concern. Scientonomy should provide explanations of all kinds of changes to the scientific mosaic at all scales from the most minor transitions to the most major. Scientonomy ought to account for all scientific changes for all time periods where a scientific mosaic can be found. | Partial |
Scope of Scientonomy | Scope of Scientonomy - Implicit and Explicit (Barseghyan-2017) | A scientonomic theory ought to distinguish between explicit statements of methodology, and actual employed methods, which may sometimes be implicit. It ought to account for employed methods, whether they correspond with stated methodology, or are purely implicit. | Partial |
Workflow - Goals of Peer Review | Goals of Peer Review - Pursuitworthiness (Shaw-Barseghyan-2019) | The goal of peer reviews in the scientonomic workflow is evaluation for pursuitworthiness rather than acceptability. | Complete |
Workflow - Handling Ripple Effects | Handling Ripple Effects - Editorial House Keeping (Shaw-Barseghyan-2019) | The encyclopedia editors should be granted official housekeeping rights to handle the ripple effects. If the additional required changes are implicit in the suggested modification, the editors should create and alter encyclopedia pages to ensure that the accepted body of scientonomic knowledge is properly documented; if it is conceivable to accept the modification without accepting the ripple effect change in question, the editors should register these changes as new suggested modifications so that the community can discuss and evaluate them in an orderly fashion. | Complete |
Workflow - Publishing Modification Comments | Publishing Modification Comments (Shaw-Barseghyan-Yan-2019) | The discussions concerning a suggested modification are to be published once a communal verdict is available. The discussions are to be published in the journal as special commentary articles co-authored by all participants of the discussion or in special edited collections. | Complete |
Workflow - Reformulating Suggesting Modifications | Allow Modification Reformulations (Shaw-Barseghyan-2019) | The commentators of suggested modifications are allowed to suggest reformulations of the original formulations in the comments. By default, the new formulation should bear the original author’s name, unless the author decides to give credit to those who significantly contributed to the new reformulation. | Complete |
Open Questions
Topic | Topic Type | Question | Formulated Year |
---|---|---|---|
Acceptance Criteria | Definitional | What is acceptance criteria? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Accidental Group | Definitional | What is accidental group? How should it be defined? | 2016 |
Assessment of Scientonomy - Relevant Facts | Normative | What classes of facts ought we to take into account when assessing a scientonomic theory? | 2015 |
Associations of Acceptance Criteria | Descriptive | How is the class of acceptance criteria associated with other classes (and itself)? What aggregation, composition, or other association relations can exist between acceptance criteria, as well as between acceptance criteria and instances of other classes? | 2015 |
Associations of Community | Descriptive | How is the class of community associated with other classes (and itself)? What aggregation, composition, or other association relations can exist between communities, as well as between a community and instances of other classes? | 2016 |
Associations of Compatibility Criteria | Descriptive | How is the class of compatibility criteria associated with other classes (and itself)? What aggregation, composition, or other association relations can exist between compatibility criterias, as well as between a compatibility criteria and instances of other classes? | 2015 |
Associations of Delineating Theory | Descriptive | How is the class of delineating theory associated with other classes (and itself)? What aggregation, composition, or other association relations can exist between delineating theories, as well as between a delineating theory and instances of other classes? | 2021 |
Associations of Demarcation Criteria | Descriptive | How is the class of demarcation criteria associated with other classes (and itself)? What aggregation, composition, or other association relations can exist between demarcation criterias, as well as between a demarcation criteria and instances of other classes? | 2015 |
Associations of Discipline | Descriptive | How is the class of discipline associated with other classes (and itself)? What aggregation, composition, or other association relations can exist between disciplines, as well as between a discipline and instances of other classes? | 2016 |
Associations of Epistemic Agent | Descriptive | How is the class of epistemic agent associated with other classes (and itself)? What aggregation, composition, or other association relations can exist between epistemic agents, as well as between an epistemic agent and instances of other classes? | 2018 |
Associations of Method | Descriptive | How is the class of method associated with other classes (and itself)? What aggregation, composition, or other association relations can exist between methods, as well as between a method and instances of other classes? | 2015 |
Associations of Question | Descriptive | How is the class of question associated with other classes (and itself)? What aggregation, composition, or other association relations can exist between questions, as well as between a question and instances of other classes? | 2018 |
Associations of Theory | Descriptive | How is the class of theory associated with other classes (and itself)? What aggregation, composition, or other association relations can exist between theories, as well as between a theory and instances of other classes? | 2015 |
Authority Delegation | Definitional | What is authority delegation? How should it be defined? | 2016 |
Changeability of the Scientific Mosaic | Descriptive | Under what circumstances does scientific change become impossible? | 2015 |
Community | Definitional | What is community? How should it be defined? | 2016 |
Compatibility | Definitional | What is compatibility? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Compatibility Criteria | Definitional | What is compatibility criteria? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Compatibility of Mosaic Elements | Descriptive | Are all elements within a mosaic compatible with one another? | 2018 |
Core Question | Definitional | What is core question? How should it be defined? | 2021 |
Core Theory | Definitional | What is core theory? How should it be defined? | 2021 |
Definition | Definitional | What is definition? How should it be defined? | 2018 |
Delineating Theory | Definitional | What is delineating theory? How should it be defined? | 2021 |
Demarcation Criteria | Definitional | What is demarcation criteria? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Descriptive Theory | Definitional | What is descriptive theory? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Determinism vs. Underdeterminism in Scientific Change | Descriptive | Is the process of scientific change a strictly deterministic process? Will two unconnected communities experience a similar historical series of changes in their individual mosaics? | 2015 |
Discipline | Definitional | What is discipline? How should it be defined? | 2016 |
Discipline Acceptance | Definitional | What is discipline acceptance? How should it be defined? | 2021 |
Epistemic Agent | Definitional | What is epistemic agent? How should it be defined? | 2018 |
Epistemic Presupposition | Definitional | What is epistemic presupposition? How should it be defined? | 2019 |
Epistemic Stances Towards Epistemic Elements | Descriptive | What types of epistemic stances can be taken by epistemic agents towards epistemic elements? | 2015 |
Epistemic Stances Towards Normative Theories | Descriptive | What types of epistemic stances can be taken by epistemic agents towards normative theories? | 2016 |
Epistemic Stances Towards Questions | Descriptive | What types of epistemic stances can be taken by epistemic agents towards questions? | 2018 |
Epistemic Stances Towards Theories | Descriptive | What types of epistemic stances can be taken by epistemic agents towards theories? | 2015 |
Error | Definitional | What is error? How should it be defined? | 2019 |
Existence of Acceptance Criteria | Descriptive | Does acceptance criteria exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Accidental Group | Descriptive | Does an accidental group exist? | 2016 |
Existence of Authority Delegation | Descriptive | Does authority delegation exist? | 2016 |
Existence of Community | Descriptive | Does a community exist? | 2016 |
Existence of Compatibility | Descriptive | Does compatibility exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Compatibility Criteria | Descriptive | Does a compatibility criteria exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Core Question | Descriptive | Does a core question exist? | 2021 |
Existence of Core Theory | Descriptive | Does a core theory exist? | 2021 |
Existence of Definition | Descriptive | Does a definition exist? | 2018 |
Existence of Delineating Theory | Descriptive | Does a delineating theory exist? | 2021 |
Existence of Demarcation Criteria | Descriptive | Does a demarcation criteria exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Descriptive Theory | Descriptive | Does a descriptive theory exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Discipline | Descriptive | Does a discipline exist? | 2016 |
Existence of Discipline Acceptance | Descriptive | Does discipline acceptance exist? | 2021 |
Existence of Epistemic Agent | Descriptive | Does an epistemic agent exist? | 2018 |
Existence of Epistemic Community | Descriptive | Does an epistemic community exist? | 2016 |
Existence of Epistemic Element | Descriptive | Does an epistemic element exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Epistemic Presupposition | Descriptive | Does an epistemic presupposition exist? | 2019 |
Existence of Epistemic Stance | Descriptive | Does an epistemic stance exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Error | Descriptive | Does an error exist? | 2019 |
Existence of Group | Descriptive | Does a group exist? | 2016 |
Existence of Hierarchical Authority Delegation | Descriptive | Does hierarchical authority delegation exist? | 2017 |
Existence of Individual Epistemic Agent | Descriptive | Does an individual epistemic agent exist? | 2019 |
Existence of Logical Presupposition | Descriptive | Does a logical presupposition exist? | 2021 |
Existence of Method | Descriptive | Does a method exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Methodology | Descriptive | Does a methodology exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Mosaic Merge | Descriptive | Does a mosaic merge exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Mosaic Split | Descriptive | Does a mosaic split exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Multiple Authority Delegation | Descriptive | Does multiple authority delegation exist? | 2017 |
Existence of Mutual Authority Delegation | Descriptive | Does mutual authority delegation exist? | 2016 |
Existence of Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation | Descriptive | Does non-hierarchical authority delegation exist? | 2017 |
Existence of Norm Employment | Descriptive | Does norm employment exist? | 2018 |
Existence of Normative Theory | Descriptive | Does a normative theory exist? | 2015 |
Existence of One-sided Authority Delegation | Descriptive | Does one-sided authority delegation exist? | 2016 |
Existence of Procedural Method | Descriptive | Does a procedural method exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Question | Descriptive | Does a question exist? | 2018 |
Existence of Question Acceptance | Descriptive | Does question acceptance exist? | 2018 |
Existence of Scientific Change | Descriptive | Does a scientific change exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Scientific Community | Descriptive | Does a scientific community exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Scientific Mosaic | Descriptive | Does a scientific mosaic exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Scientonomy | Descriptive | Does scientonomy exist? | 2016 |
Existence of Singular Authority Delegation | Descriptive | Does singular authority delegation exist? | 2017 |
Existence of Sociocultural Factors | Descriptive | Does a sociocultural factors exist? | 2016 |
Existence of Subdiscipline | Descriptive | Does a subdiscipline exist? | 2021 |
Existence of Subquestion | Descriptive | Does a subquestion exist? | 2021 |
Existence of Substantive Method | Descriptive | Does a substantive method exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Theory | Descriptive | Does a theory exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Theory Acceptance | Descriptive | Does theory acceptance exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Theory Pursuit | Descriptive | Does theory pursuit exist? | 2015 |
Existence of Theory Use | Descriptive | Does theory use exist? | 2015 |
Explicable-Implicit | Definitional | What is explicable-implicit knowledge? How should it be defined? | 2018 |
Explicit | Definitional | What is explicit knowledge? How should it be defined? | 2018 |
Group | Definitional | What is group? How should it be defined? | 2016 |
Hierarchical Authority Delegation | Definitional | What is hierarchical authority delegation? How should it be defined? | 2017 |
History of Scientific Change | Definitional | What is history of scientific change? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Implicit | Definitional | What is implicit knowledge? How should it be defined? | 2018 |
Indicators of Method Employment | Normative | What kind of historical markers could be taken as indicators that a method was employed by an agent at a given time? | 2015 |
Indicators of Theory Acceptance | Normative | What types of historical markers can be taken as indicative that a theory was accepted by an agent at a given time? | 2015 |
Individual Level | Definitional | What is individual level? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Inexplicable | Definitional | What is inexplicable knowledge? How should it be defined? | 2018 |
Logical Presupposition | Definitional | What is logical presupposition? How should it be defined? | 2021 |
Mechanism of Compatibility | Descriptive | Under what conditions can two elements coexist in the same mosaic? | 2015 |
Mechanism of Error Rejection | Descriptive | When epistemic agent discover that a theory was accepted erroneously, they often reject the theory; the theory rejection theorem suggests that those propositions are replaced by something. What are they replaced by? | 2018 |
Mechanism of Method Employment | Descriptive | How do methods become employed by an epistemic agent? | 2015 |
Mechanism of Method Rejection | Descriptive | When does an employed method become rejected? | 2016 |
Mechanism of Mosaic Split | Descriptive | What happens to a mosaic when two or more similar theories are considered equally acceptable by a scientific community? Under what conditions does a mosaic split occur? What happens to a mosaic when it is transformed into two or more mosaics? | 2015 |
Mechanism of Norm Employment | Descriptive | How do norms become employed by an epistemic agent? | 2022 |
Mechanism of Question Acceptance | Descriptive | How do questions become accepted as legitimate topics of inquiry? What is the mechanism of question acceptance? | 2018 |
Mechanism of Question Rejection | Descriptive | How do questions become rejected? What is the mechanism of question rejection? | 2021 |
Mechanism of Scientific Inertia for Epistemic Elements | Descriptive | What makes the epistemic elements of an agent's mosaic continue to remain in the mosaic? | 2015 |
Mechanism of Scientific Inertia for Methods | Descriptive | What makes the methods of an agent's mosaic continue to remain in the mosaic? | 2015 |
Mechanism of Scientific Inertia for Theories | Descriptive | What makes the theories of an agent's mosaic continue to remain in the mosaic? | 2015 |
Mechanism of Theory Acceptance | Descriptive | How do theories become accepted into a mosaic? | 2015 |
Mechanism of Theory Rejection | Descriptive | 2015 | |
Method | Definitional | What is method? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Methodology | Definitional | What is methodology? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Mosaic Merge | Definitional | What is mosaic merge? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Mosaic Split | Definitional | What is mosaic split? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Multiple Authority Delegation | Definitional | What is multiple authority delegation? How should it be defined? | 2017 |
Mutual Authority Delegation | Definitional | What is mutual authority delegation? How should it be defined? | 2016 |
Nature of Appraisal | Descriptive | 2015 | |
Necessary Methods | Descriptive | Are there methods that are necessarily part of any mosaic? What methods, if any, are necessary for the process of scientific change to occur? | 2015 |
Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation | Definitional | What is non-hierarchical authority delegation? How should it be defined? | 2017 |
Norm Employment | Definitional | What is norm employment? How should it be defined? | 2018 |
Normative Theory | Definitional | What is normative theory? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
One-sided Authority Delegation | Definitional | What is one-sided authority delegation? How should it be defined? | 2016 |
Outcome Inconclusive | Definitional | How should the theory assessment outcome inconclusive be defined? | 2015 |
Outcome Not Satisfied | Definitional | How should the theory assessment outcome not satisfied be defined? | 2017 |
Outcome Satisfied | Definitional | How should the theory assessment outcome satisfied be defined? | 2017 |
Possibility of Scientonomy | Descriptive | How is scientonomy possible? | 2015 |
Possibility of Scientonomy - Argument from Bad Track Record | Descriptive | How is scientonomy possible given the bad track record of previous attempts to create a general theory of scientific change? | 2015 |
Possibility of Scientonomy - Argument from Changeability of Scientific Method | Descriptive | How can there be scientonomy if the methods of science are changeable? | 2015 |
Possibility of Scientonomy - The Argument from Nothing Permanent | Descriptive | How can scientonomy be possible if there are no permanent features of science? | 2015 |
Possibility of Scientonomy - The Argument from Social Construction | Descriptive | How is scientonomy possible if science is a social construction? | 2015 |
Procedural Method | Definitional | What is procedural method? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Pursuit as Acceptance | Descriptive | Is the category of theory pursuit really distinct from that of theory acceptance? | 2018 |
Question | Definitional | What is question? How should it be defined? | 2018 |
Question Acceptance | Definitional | What does it mean to say that a question is accepted? How should question acceptance be defined? | 2018 |
Role of Methodology in Scientific Change | Descriptive | What role do methodologies play in scientific change? Are methodologies capable of affecting employed methods? | 2015 |
Role of Sociocultural Factors in Theory Acceptance | Descriptive | What is the role of sociocultural factors, such as economics or politics, in the process of theory acceptance? | 2015 |
Scientific Change | Definitional | What is scientific change? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Scientific Mosaic | Definitional | What is scientific mosaic? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Scientonomic Workflow | Normative | How should changes in the accepted body of scientonomic knowledge be introduced? What are the steps and procedures of the scientonomic workflow? | 2016 |
Scientonomy | Definitional | What is scientonomy? How should it be defined? | 2016 |
Scope of Scientonomy - Acceptance Use and Pursuit | Normative | How ought a scientonomic theory deal with the various stances that a community might take towards a theory? Which stances towards a theory ought a scientonomic theory account for? | 2015 |
Scope of Scientonomy - Construction and Appraisal | Normative | Ought the process of scientific change be viewed from the perspective of theory construction or that of theory appraisal? | 2015 |
Scope of Scientonomy - Descriptive and Normative | Normative | Ought a scientonomic theory be descriptive or normative? | 2015 |
Scope of Scientonomy - Explicit and Implicit | Normative | Ought a scientonomic theory account for only changes to explicit elements of the mosaic or must it also deal with changes in implicit elements that are not openly stated? | 2015 |
Scope of Scientonomy - Individual and Social | Normative | Ought a scientonomic theory account for changes in the mosaics of individual scientists, the mosaics of communities, or both? | 2015 |
Scope of Scientonomy - Time Fields and Scale | Normative | For changes in the mosaic of what time period ought a scientonomic theory account? For changes in which fields of inquiry ought it to account? Ought it deal only in grand changes, or should it account for minor changes as well? | 2015 |
Singular Authority Delegation | Definitional | What is singular authority delegation? How should it be defined? | 2017 |
Social Level | Definitional | What is social level? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Static vs. Dynamic Methods | Descriptive | Are there any methods which are immune to change? | 2015 |
Status of Technological Knowledge | Descriptive | What is the status of technological knowledge in the scientific mosaic? Can technological knowledge be accepted into a mosaic? | 2015 |
Subdiscipline | Definitional | What is subdiscipline? How should it be defined? | 2021 |
Subquestion | Definitional | What is subquestion? How should it be defined? | 2021 |
Substantive Method | Definitional | What is substantive method? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Subtypes of Authority Delegation | Descriptive | What are the subtypes of authority delegation? | 2016 |
Subtypes of Element Decay | Descriptive | What are the subtypes of element decay? | 2021 |
Subtypes of Epistemic Agent | Descriptive | What are the subtypes of an epistemic agent? | 2018 |
Subtypes of Epistemic Element | Descriptive | What are the subtypes of an epistemic element? | 2015 |
Subtypes of Epistemic Stance | Descriptive | What are the subtypes of an epistemic stance? | 2015 |
Subtypes of Group | Descriptive | What are the subtypes of a group? | 2016 |
Subtypes of Implicit | Descriptive | What are the subtypes of implicit? | 2018 |
Subtypes of Method | Descriptive | What are the subtypes of a method? | 2015 |
Subtypes of Multiple Authority Delegation | Descriptive | What are the subtypes of multiple authority delegation? | 2017 |
Subtypes of Normative Theory | Descriptive | What are the subtypes of a normative theory? | 2015 |
Subtypes of Theory | Descriptive | What are the subtypes of a theory? | 2015 |
Supertypes of Accidental Group | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of an accidental group? | 2016 |
Supertypes of Community | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of a community? | 2016 |
Supertypes of Compatibility | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of compatibility? | 2015 |
Supertypes of Definition | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of a definition? | 2018 |
Supertypes of Descriptive Theory | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of a descriptive theory? | 2015 |
Supertypes of Epistemic Community | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of an epistemic community? | 2016 |
Supertypes of Explicable-Implicit | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of explicable-implicit? | 2018 |
Supertypes of Hierarchical Authority Delegation | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of hierarchical authority delegation? | 2017 |
Supertypes of Individual Epistemic Agent | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of an individual epistemic agent? | 2019 |
Supertypes of Inexplicable | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of inexplicable? | 2018 |
Supertypes of Method | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of a method? | 2015 |
Supertypes of Multiple Authority Delegation | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of multiple authority delegation? | 2017 |
Supertypes of Mutual Authority Delegation | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of mutual authority delegation? | 2016 |
Supertypes of Non-Hierarchical Authority Delegation | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of non-hierarchical authority delegation? | 2017 |
Supertypes of Norm Employment | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of norm employment? | 2018 |
Supertypes of Normative Theory | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of a normative theory? | 2015 |
Supertypes of One-sided Authority Delegation | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of one-sided authority delegation? | 2016 |
Supertypes of Procedural Method | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of a procedural method? | 2015 |
Supertypes of Question | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of a question? | 2018 |
Supertypes of Question Acceptance | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of question acceptance? | 2018 |
Supertypes of Singular Authority Delegation | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of singular authority delegation? | 2017 |
Supertypes of Substantive Method | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of a substantive method? | 2015 |
Supertypes of Theory | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of a theory? | 2015 |
Supertypes of Theory Acceptance | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of theory acceptance? | 2015 |
Supertypes of Theory Decay | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of theory decay? | 2021 |
Supertypes of Theory Pursuit | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of theory pursuit? | 2015 |
Supertypes of Theory Use | Descriptive | What are the supertypes of theory use? | 2015 |
Synchronism vs. Asynchronism of Method Employment | Descriptive | Which factors influence the process of method employment? Do new methods become accepted simultaneously with the acceptance of a theory? | 2015 |
Synchronism vs. Asynchronism of Method Rejection | Descriptive | When a method is rejected, must it be the case that a theory has also been rejected? | 2015 |
Tautological Status of The Law of Compatibility (Fraser-Sarwar-2018) | Descriptive | Is the law of compatibility suggested by Fraser and Sarwar in 2018 a tautology? | 2018 |
Tautological Status of The Second Law (Barseghyan-2015) | Descriptive | Is Barseghyan's original second law a tautology? | 2013 |
Tautological Status of The Second Law (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) | Descriptive | Is the second law suggested by Patton, Overgaard, and Barseghyan in 2017 a tautology? | 2017 |
Tautological Status of The Zeroth Law (Harder-2015) | Descriptive | Is Harder's zeroth law a tautology? | 2016 |
The Paradox of Normative Propositions | Descriptive | If methodologies are themselves theories that can be accepted by a community, then how can methods be deductive consequences of accepted theories, given that historically employed methods and accepted methodologies have often been inconsistent with one another? | 2014 |
Theory | Definitional | What is theory? How should it be defined? | 2015 |
Theory Acceptance | Definitional | What does it mean to say that a theory is accepted? How should theory acceptance be defined? | 2015 |
Theory Assessment Outcomes | Descriptive | What outcomes can possibly obtain as a result of an assessment of a theory by a method? What is the complete list of theory assessment outcomes? | 2015 |
Theory Pursuit | Definitional | What does it mean to say that a theory is pursued? How should theory pursuit be defined? | 2015 |
Theory Use | Definitional | What does it mean to say that a theory is used? How should theory use be defined? | 2015 |
Workflow - Goals of Peer Review | Normative | Should peer reviewers evaluate a submitted paper for the pursuitworthiness or acceptability of the content of the paper? | 2019 |
Workflow - Handling Ripple Effects | Normative | 2019 | |
Workflow - Publishing Modification Comments | Normative | Should the discussions concerning a suggested modification be published? If so, when and how should they be published? | 2019 |
Workflow - Reformulating Suggesting Modifications | Normative | Are the commentators of suggested modifications allowed to suggest reformulations of the original formulations? | 2019 |