Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!mcvax!ukc!stc!praxis!gauss!mct From: mct@praxis.co.uk (Martyn Thomas) Newsgroups: sci.philosophy.tech Subject: Re: Definition of science and of scientific method. Message-ID: <930@newton.praxis.co.uk> Date: Mon, 20-Jul-87 09:57:54 EDT Article-I.D.: newton.930 Posted: Mon Jul 20 09:57:54 1987 Date-Received: Wed, 22-Jul-87 05:48:12 EDT References: <6693@allegra.UUCP> <1664@tekcrl.TEK.COM> Sender: nobody@praxis.co.uk Reply-To: mct@praxis.co.uk (Martyn Thomas) Organization: Praxis Systems plc, Bath, UK Lines: 21 There is a class of discussion which centres round the following steps: 1 Select a loosely-defined term (eg science: systematic and formulated knowledge - OED). 2 Use it to classify something else (eg Physics is a science) 3 Import some emotional content (eg *unscientific* as a perjorative) 4 Start arguing about whether other things fit the classification (eg AI is not a science). Such discussions are always fruitless (with the possible exception of bananas :-), because the issue ostensibly being discussed is unimportant and the *real* issue (whether AI research is conducted professionally, whether AI is a subject worth studying in isolation .....) never gets identified. Martyn Thomas mct%praxis.uucp@ukc.ac.ukPraxis Systems plc ...seismo!mcvax!ukc!praxis!mct 20 Manvers Street, Tel: +44 225 444700 BATH BA1 1PX England. Fax: +44 225 65205 (Groups 2&3)