From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: ** X-Spam-Status: No, score=2.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_50,INVALID_MSGID, REPLYTO_WITHOUT_TO_CC autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 1014db,1042f393323e22da X-Google-Attributes: gid1014db,public X-Google-Thread: 109fba,1042f393323e22da X-Google-Attributes: gid109fba,public X-Google-Thread: 103376,1042f393323e22da X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: Mukesh Prasad Subject: Off topic: Crocodiles Date: 1997/06/11 Message-ID: <339EA557.4D49@polaroid.com>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 247649104 References: <19970609.5A1DA0.14F78@an194.du.pipex.com> <199706111259.OAA29188@basement.replay.com> Organization: Polaroid Corporation Reply-To: prasadm@polaroid.com Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.ada Date: 1997-06-11T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: Anonymous wrote: [snip] > > There is one prediction the Croc o' Dile theory makes that Newtonian > physics doesn't: The Croc o' Dile theory predicts the existence of the > invisible crocodiles that cause the motion of the planets. ALL > predictions made by a scientific theory MUST be subject to potential > disproof; therefore, if the Croc o' Dile theory is a scientific theory, > there must be some possible experiment or observation that would > disprove this prediction if the theory is incorrect. If no such disproof > is possible, the theory is not science, and will be dismissed by > scientists. Actually, there is no reason for it to be particularly "dismissed", it simply is not useful. It may or not represent some kind of reality, but is not concerned with measurable and observable reality. If a crocodile theory were to include Newtonion mechanics, it would be a useful way for making predictions. But then, there is already a successful theory for making predictions of this kind, so it would have to differentiate itself from Newtonion mechanics. Now if invisible crocodiles were to provide a good theory for something not properly understood, Good scientists will investigate this theory. Most scientists would not. But notice the capitalization of good. In practice most scientists would not because it could jeopardize their grants, and might make them look foolish. (At least until everybody else and the popular journals started to talk about crocodiles.) Most people would believe crocodile theories if they were a part of the culture, or if it made them feel better to believe in crocodiles. A high part of a meme's survival ability is how good it makes the believer feel.