Changes

'''The original Theory of Scientific Change''' (TSC) proposed by Barseghyan in 2015 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 set consisting 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. following claims:

== History ==* [[Theory (Barseghyan-2015)]]The theory of scientific change * [[Method (TSCBarseghyan-2015) was proposed by Hakob ]]* [[Methodology (Barseghyan in his book ''The Laws of -2015)]]* [[Scientific Mosaic (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Scientific Change'', published in (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Mosaic Merge (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Acceptance Criteria (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Compatibility Criteria (Barseghyan-2015. Since that time the work of Sebastian )]]* [[Demarcation Criteria (2016Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Theory Acceptance (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Theory Use (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Theory Pursuit (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Employed Method (Barseghyan-2015) 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]]

== Current View =====What is the theory of scientific change?===[[File:Scientific change.jpg|right|500px]] The ''theory of scientific change (TSC)'Ontology' 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 * [[Method Is a Subtype of Larry Laudan Epistemic Element (Laudan, 1984Barseghyan-2015), the TSC rejects the idea of ]]* [[Descriptive Theory Is 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 Subtype of science have, in fact, changed Theory (Barseghyan, -2015, p. 3)]]* [[Epistemic Stances Towards Theories - Theory Acceptance (Barseghyan-212015). 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 ]]* [[Epistemic Stances Towards Theories - Theory Pursuit (Barseghyan, -2015, p. 12)]]* [[Epistemic Stances Towards Theories - Theory Use (Barseghyan-212015). Following the resolution ]]* [[Theory Acceptance Is a Subtype of logical problems by Sebastian Epistemic Stance (2016Barseghyan-2015), it also views the descriptive study ]]* [[Theory Use Is a Subtype of scientific methodologies, and their relationship to employed methods, as within its scope. The TSC rejects Kuhn Epistemic Stance (1977Barseghyan-2015)and Laudan's ]]* [[Theory Pursuit Is a Subtype of Epistemic Stance (1984Barseghyan-2015) 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'.]]

====Theory appraisal====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'Dynamics' 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|500pxThe 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. Third Law (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[The TSC discerns a clear distinction between the two levels Zeroth Law (Harder-2015)]]* [[Theory Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Method Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Synchronism 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 Method Rejection theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Contextual Appraisal theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Necessary Method theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Dogmatism No Theory Change theorem (Barseghyan, -2015, p. 43)]]* [[Methodology Can Shape Method theorem (Barseghyan-522015). It seeks distinctive historical research methods, such as the analysis ]]* [[Asynchronism of textbooks and encyclopedias, as indicators of the accepted beliefs of a scientific community. community beliefs can be ascertained Method Employment theorem (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [Sociocultural Factors in Theory Acceptance theorem (Barseghyan, -2015, p. 113)]]* [[The Zeroth Law (Harder-1202015).]]* [[The Zeroth Law (Harder-2015)]]* [[The Zeroth Law (Harder-2015)]]

====Basic tenets of the theory====* [[File:lawsThe Second Law (Barseghyan-of2015) is Tautological (Barseghyan-change.jpg2015)]]

The TSC begins by positing the existence of a [[Scientific_Mosaic|''scientific mosaic'Metatheory']] 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 ===* [[Scope of Scientonomy - Descriptive (Barseghyan-2015)]]The TSC posits four laws as axioms governing the process * [[Scope of change to the Scientonomy - Appraisal (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[Scientific_Mosaic|scientific mosaicScope of Scientonomy - Acceptance (Barseghyan-2015)]].====Zeroth Law==== * [[File: The_Zeroth_Law.png |center|407pxScope of Scientonomy - Social (Barseghyan-2015)]]The * [[The_Zeroth_Law|''Zeroth Law''Scope of Scientonomy - All Fields (Barseghyan-2015)]], also known as the ''Law of Compatibility'' states that at any moment in time, the elements of the * [[Scientific_Mosaic|scientific mosaicScope of Scientonomy - All Scales (Barseghyan-2015)]] are compatible with one another. The compatibility criteria are part of the * [[Method|methodScope of Scientonomy - All Time Periods (Barseghyan-2015)]] of the time.

====First Law====* [[Response to the Argument from Changeability of Scientific Method (Barseghyan-2015)]]* [[File:FirstResponse to the Argument from Nothing Permanent (Barseghyan-law-general.jpg|center|407px2015)]]The ''* [[The_First_Law|First LawResponse to the Argument from Bad Track Record (Barseghyan-2015)]]'', also known as the ''Law of Scientific Inertia'' states that an element of the * [[Scientific_Mosaic|scientific mosaicResponse to the Argument from Social Construction (Barseghyan-2015)]] remains in the mosaic unless replaced by other elements. Replacement takes place in accordance with the Second and Third Laws.

====Second Law====* [[File: The_Second_Law.png |center|407px]]The ''[[The_Second_Law|Second Law]]'', also known as the ''Law Assessment of Theory Acceptance'' states that in order to become accepted into the [[Scientific_Mosaic|scientific mosaic]], a [[Theory|theory]] is assessed by the [[Method|method]] actually employed at the time. ====Third Law====[[File:The_Third_Law.png|center|407px]]The ''Third Law'', also known as the ''Law of Method Employment'' states that a [[Method|method]] becomes employed when it is deducible from other employed [[Method|methods]] and accepted [[Theory|theories]] of the time. === Theorems ===Taking the four laws as the starting point several theorems about the process of scientific change may be deduced.====Rejection of Elements=========No theory rejection may take place in a genuinely dogmatic community=========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 MosaicScientonomy - Relevant Facts (Barseghyan-2015)]] == Notes ==<references />