Modification:Sciento-2024-0002

Accept a list of necessary indicators of theory decay.

The modification was suggested to Scientonomy community by Sanghoon Oh on 21 February 2024.1 The modification is currently being evaluated; a verdict is pending.

Preamble

To identify historical cases of theory decay, we need a list of historical indicators. It seems that to legitimately claim that episode x involved theory decay, we must be able to show that we are dealing with a continuous epistemic agent that existed throughout the transition in question, that there was a change from theory acceptance to unacceptance, and that the unacceptance took place without any assessment by that agent.

Modification

Accept the following as necessary indicators of theory decay:

• Agent Continuity: there should be historical evidence that the agent in question continuously existed during the time period under study.
• Change from Theory Acceptance to Unacceptance: there should be clear indications of a theory being accepted at some point and unaccepted at some later point.
• Theory Unacceptance Without Assessment: there should be clear evidence that the theory became unaccepted without any theoretical assessment on the part of the agent.

Verdict

The modification is currently being evaluated; a verdict is pending.

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