Difference between revisions of "The Theory of Scientific Change"

From Encyclopedia of Scientonomy
Jump to navigation Jump to search
 
(176 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
'''Theory of Scientific Change''' (TSC) is a descriptive theory that attempts to explain changes in a [[Scientific Mosaic|scientific mosaic]], i.e. transitions from one [[theory]] to the next and one [[method]] to the next. The current theory of scientific change explains many different aspects of the process such as [[The Second Law|theory acceptance]] and [[The Third Law|method employment]], [[The First Law|scientific inertia]] and [[The Zeroth Law|compatibility]], [[Mosaic Split and Merge|splitting and merging of scientific mosaics]], [[Scientific Underdeterminism|scientific underdeterminism]], [[Static and Dynamic Methods|changeability of scientific methods]], role of [[Sociocultural Factors|sociocultural factors]], and more. 
+
The original Theory of Scientific Change proposed by Barseghyan in 2015 is a set consisting of the following claims:
  
−
== Prehistory ==
+
'''Definitions'''
−
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
 
−
Prehistory here
 
−
</div>
 
  
−
== History ==
+
* [[Theory (Barseghyan-2015)]]
−
The theory of scientific change (TSC) was proposed by Hakob Barseghyan in his book ''The Laws of Scientific Change'', published in 2015. Since that time the work of Sebastian (2016) resolved an important logical paradox, allowing the scope of the TSC to be expanded to include descriptive accounts of normative theories as well as descriptive theories.  Normative theories include such things as normative scientific methodologies and sets of ethical rules for the conduct of scientific research
+
* [[Method (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Methodology (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Scientific Mosaic (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Scientific Change (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Mosaic Merge (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Acceptance Criteria (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Compatibility Criteria (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Demarcation Criteria (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Theory Acceptance (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Theory Use (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Theory Pursuit (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Employed Method (Barseghyan-2015)]]
  
−
== Current View ==
+
'''Ontology'''
−
===What is the theory of scientific change?===
 
−
[[File:Scientific change.jpg|right|500px]]
 
−
The ''theory of scientific change (TSC)'' is a general descriptive social scientific theory of the actual process of [[Scientific_Change|''scientific change'']] stated in axiomatic deductive form. It is the founding theory of the new field of [[Scientonomy|scientonomy]]. It was proposed by Hakob Barseghyan in 2015 in his book 'The Laws of Scientific Change'.
 
  
−
====Methods====
+
* [[Theory Is a Subtype of Epistemic Element (Barseghyan-2015)]]
−
As in the later works of Larry Laudan (Laudan, 1984), the TSC rejects the idea of a fixed universal scientific method, and accepts the idea that the methods of science have changed over time. This rejection is based on clear evidence from the history of science that the methods of science have, in fact, changed (Barseghyan, 2015, p. 3-21). In contrast to most earlier views of the process of scientific change, TSC draws a clear distinction between methods, which are the implicit standards actually used in theory assessment, and the normative epistemic methodologies espoused by scientists or philosophers of science. The TSC takes normative methodological prescriptions to be outside its scope. It seeks a purely descriptive account of the methods employed by scientists to assess theories (Barseghyan, 2015, p. 12-21). Following the resolution of logical problems by Sebastian (2016), it also views the descriptive study of scientific methodologies, and their relationship to employed methods, as within its scope. The TSC rejects Kuhn (1977)and Laudan's (1984) distinction between values and methods, asserting that values can more parsimoniously be included within the category of methods. Thus, the value of predictive accuracy is instead seen as the method 'accept theories that are predictively accurate'.
+
* [[Method Is a Subtype of Epistemic Element (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Descriptive Theory Is a Subtype of Theory (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Epistemic Stances Towards Theories - Theory Acceptance (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Epistemic Stances Towards Theories - Theory Pursuit (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Epistemic Stances Towards Theories - Theory Use (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Theory Acceptance Is a Subtype of Epistemic Stance (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Theory Use Is a Subtype of Epistemic Stance (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Theory Pursuit Is a Subtype of Epistemic Stance (Barseghyan-2015)]]
  
−
====Theory appraisal====
+
'''Dynamics'''
−
The TSC draws a distinction between the process of scientific theory construction, in which new theories are generated or constructed, and that of theory appraisal, in which theories are evaluated. It seeks a descriptive account of the process of theory appraisal, but does not view the process of theory construction as a necessary part of its scope (Barseghyan, 2015, p. 21-30). Unlike past usage, the TSC seeks a clear technical vocabulary to categorize the stances that a scientific community can take towards a theory. It proposes three categories: acceptance, use, and pursuit. A theory is said to be ''accepted'' if it is taken to be the best available description of its object.  A theory is said to be ''used'' if it is taken to be an adequate tool for practical application, and to be ''pursued'' if it is considered worthy of further development (Barseghyan, 2015, p. 30-42).
 
  
−
====Level of social organization====
+
* [[The First Law (Barseghyan-2015)]]
−
[[File:Individual and group.jpg|right|500px]]
+
* [[The Second Law (Barseghyan-2015)]]
−
A scientific community consists of individual scientists and their interactions with one another. Past research in the history of science has often focused on prominent individual scientists. The beliefs and decisions of individual scientists are diverse. The TSC discerns a clear distinction between the two levels of social organization. The relationship between them is by no means obvious.  The collective behavior of communities is more lawful than that of individuals. Scientific change takes place at this level, when a community as a whole decides to accept a new theory, or employ a new method.  The TSC thus takes the behavior of scientific communities, rather than individuals, as its focus of concern (Barseghyan, 2015, p. 43-52). It seeks distinctive historical research methods, such as the analysis of textbooks and encyclopedias, as indicators of the accepted beliefs of a scientific community. community beliefs can be ascertained (Barseghyan, 2015, p. 113-120).
+
* [[The Third Law (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[The Zeroth Law (Harder-2015)]]
 +
* [[Theory Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Method Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Synchronism of Method Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Contextual Appraisal theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Necessary Method theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Dogmatism No Theory Change theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Methodology Can Shape Method theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Asynchronism of Method Employment theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [Sociocultural Factors in Theory Acceptance theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[The Zeroth Law (Harder-2015)]]
 +
* [[The Zeroth Law (Harder-2015)]]
 +
* [[The Zeroth Law (Harder-2015)]]
  
−
====Time, fields, and scale====
+
'''Second Order'''
−
The TSC seeks to account for the process of scientific change during all historical time periods within which a corpus of accepted scientific beliefs existed.  It seeks to account for this entire corpus of beliefs. The TSC defines "science" broadly.  For example, during the medieval and early modern period, propositions about the natural world and about theological matters were considered part of the same system of beliefs.  For those time periods, the TSC takes theological beliefs to be within its purview (Barseghyan, 2015, p. 61-72).
 
  
−
====Basic tenets of the theory====
+
* [[The Second Law (Barseghyan-2015) is Tautological (Barseghyan-2015)]]
−
[[File:Laws-of-change|center]]
 
−
The TSC begins by positing the existence of a [[Scientific_Mosaic|''scientific mosaic'']] consisting of the accepted [[Theory|''theories'']] and employed [[Method|''methods'']] of a scientific community at some particular time in history. Scientific change is the process by which the contents of the mosaic are altered over time. The TSC posits four laws as its axioms which together account for changes to both theories and methods.  These are, The Zeroth Law: The law of compatibility, The First Law: The law of scientific inertia, The Second Law: The law of theory acceptance, and The Third Law: The law of method employment. These laws are summarized briefly here, and are expounded at greater length in their respective encyclopedia articles. A number of theorems have been deduced from these basic laws and they are also summarized here.
 
  
−
=== Axioms ===
+
'''Metatheory'''
−
The TSC posits four laws as axioms governing the process of change to the scientific mosaic.
 
−
====Zeroth Law====
 
−
[[File: The_Zeroth_Law.png |center|407px]]
 
−
The [[The_Zeroth_Law|''Zeroth Law'']], also known as the ''Law of Compatibility'' states that 'at any moment in time, the elements of the scientific mosaic are compatible with one another".  The compatibility criteria are part of the method of the time.
 
  
−
====First Law====
+
* [[Scope of Scientonomy - Descriptive (Barseghyan-2015)]]
−
[[File:First-law-general.jpg|center|407px]]
+
* [[Scope of Scientonomy - Appraisal (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Scope of Scientonomy - Acceptance (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Scope of Scientonomy - Social (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Scope of Scientonomy - All Fields (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Scope of Scientonomy - All Scales (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Scope of Scientonomy - All Time Periods (Barseghyan-2015)]]
  
−
====Second Law====
+
* [[Response to the Argument from Changeability of Scientific Method (Barseghyan-2015)]]
−
[[File: The_Second_Law.png |center|407px]]
+
* [[Response to the Argument from Nothing Permanent (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Response to the Argument from Bad Track Record (Barseghyan-2015)]]
 +
* [[Response to the Argument from Social Construction (Barseghyan-2015)]]
  
−
====Third Law====
+
* [[Assessment of Scientonomy - Relevant Facts (Barseghyan-2015)]]
−
[[File:The_Third_Law.png|center|407px]]
 
−
 
 
−
=== Theorems ===
 
−
====Rejection of Elements====
 
−
====Contextual Appraisal====
 
−
====Scientific Underdeterminism====
 
−
====Mosaic Split and Mosaic Merge====
 
−
====Static and Dynamic Methods====
 
−
====Sociocultural Factors====
 
−
====The role of Methodology====
 
−
 
 
−
== Open Questions ==
 
−
 
 
−
• Question 1
 
−
 
 
−
• Question 2
 
−
 
 
−
== Related Articles ==
 
−
 
 
−
[[Scientific Mosaic]]
 
−
 
 
−
== Notes ==
 
−
<references />
 

Latest revision as of 21:48, 19 February 2023

The original Theory of Scientific Change proposed by Barseghyan in 2015 is a set consisting of the following claims:

Definitions

Ontology

Dynamics

Second Order

Metatheory

References

  1. a b c d e f g h i j k l  Barseghyan, Hakob. (2015) The Laws of Scientific Change. Springer.
  2. ^  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.
  3. a b Laudan (1984) 
  4. ^ Sebastian (2016) 
  5. ^ Kuhn (1977) 
  6. a b c d e Barseghyan(2015) 

Retrieved from "https://www.scientowiki.com/index.php?title=The_Theory_of_Scientific_Change&oldid=19055"