Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!hou3c!hocda!twitch!hocad!houxm!ihnp4!gargoyle!carnes
From: carnes@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP (Richard Carnes)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: What is a scientific theory
Message-ID: <213@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 4-Oct-84 20:58:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: gargoyle.213
Posted: Thu Oct  4 20:58:00 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 6-Oct-84 05:36:11 EDT
Organization: U. Chicago - Computer Science
Lines: 57

[]

   In response to a recent request of Paul Dubois, here is a definition
of "scientific theory", cribbed from an article by Robert Root-Bernstein 
in _Science_and_Creationism_ , ed. Ashley Montagu, Ox. U. Press (1984)
(herewith highly recommended).  I'm not claiming that this is the only
possible definition, but I think it's worth considering.

   Root-Bernstein says that a scientific theory must fulfill four sets
of criteria:

1.  LOGICAL criteria.  A theory must be:
    
    a) a simple, unifying idea that postulates nothing unnecessary ("Occam's
       Razor");
    b) logically consistent internally;
    c) logically falsifiable (i.e., cases must exist in which the theory
       could be imagined to be invalid);
    d) clearly limited by explicitly stated boundary conditions so that it
       is clear whether or not any particular data are or are not relevant
       to the verification or falsification of the theory.

2.  EMPIRICAL criteria.  A theory must:

    a) be empirically testable itself or lead to predictions or retrodictions
       that are testable;
    b) actually make VERIFIED predictions and/or retrodictions;
    c) concern reproducible results;
    d) provide criteria for the interpretation of data as facts, artifacts,
       anomalies, or as irrelevant.

3.  SOCIOLOGICAL criteria.  A theory must:

    a) resolve recognized problems, paradoxes, and/or anomalies irresolvable
       on the basis of preexisting scientific theories;
    b) pose a new set of scientific problems upon which scientists may
       work;
    c) posit a "paradigm" or problem-solving model by which these new
       problems may be expected to be resolved;
    d) provide definitions of concepts or operations beneficial to the
       problem-solving abilities of other scientists.

4.  HISTORICAL criteria.  A theory must:

    a) meet or surpass all of the criteria set by its predecessors or
       demonstrate that any abandoned criteria are artifactual;
    b) be able to accrue the epistemological status acquired by previous
       theories through their history of testing---or, put another way,
       be able to explain ALL of the data gathered under previous relevant
       theories in terms either of fact or artifact (no anomalies allowed);
    c) be consistent with all preexisting ancillary theories that already
       have established scientific validity.

According to Root-Bernstein, evolutionary theory meets all these tests, while
creationism flunks them all except for 1(a).

                                            --Richard Carnes