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=-1.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_MSGID 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: mcc@tyrolia.cs.princeton.edu (Martin C. Carlisle) Subject: Re: Software Engineering and Dreamers Date: 1997/06/03 Message-ID: <5n258a$ac8$1@cnn.Princeton.EDU>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 247138688 References: <19970602.562B58.2B32@ai110.du.pipex.com> <5n1261$qj6@polo.demon.co.uk> <19970602.433020.144E5@ai078.du.pipex.com> Organization: US Air Force Academy, Dept of Computer Science Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.ada Date: 1997-06-03T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: In article <19970602.433020.144E5@ai078.du.pipex.com>, Mathew Hendry wrote: >In comp.lang.c++ John Winters wrote: >: >: capital T. Science is about constructing theories that are consistent >: >: with observations, and which have the capability of predicting the >: >: outcome of observations not yet made. >: > >: >Imagine that you have produced a theory about the movements of the planets, >: >basing it upon Newtonian dynamics. I provide a competing theory, based upon >: >the exploits of invisible crocodiles. >: >The two theories give exactly the same predictions. >: > > >Since the above theories make the same predictions, no experimental test can >distinguish between them. And yet no right-minded scientist would believe my >crocodile theory. Why not? Well, the reason is called Occam's razor. Simply stated, given two theories that make the same predictions, favor the simpler. Unfortunately deciding which is simpler is based on personal bias. So, although you might think invisible crocodiles aren't much of a leap of faith =), most others probably disagree. --Martin -- Martin C. Carlisle, Computer Science, US Air Force Academy mcc@cs.usafa.af.mil, http://www.usafa.af.mil/dfcs/bios/carlisle.html DISCLAIMER: This content in no way reflects the opinions, standard or policy of the US Air Force Academy or the United States Government.