Epistemic Elements - Theories and Methods (Sebastien-2017)

This is an answer to the question Epistemic Elements that states "The two classes of elements that can undergo scientific change are accepted theories - both descriptive and normative - and employed methods."

This version of Epistemic Elements - Theories and Methods was formulated by Zoe Sebastien in 2017.1

Scientonomic History

In Barseghyan's original ontology of epistemic elements, only descriptive theories and employed methods were considered part of the process of scientific change. Normative theories were excluded from the ontology for their introduction appeared to be resulting in a destructive paradox. With the solution of the paradox by Sebastien, it became possible to introduce normative propositions as elements of the ontology of scientific change.

Acceptance Record

Here is the complete acceptance record of Epistemic Elements - Theories and Methods (Sebastien-2017):

Community	Accepted From	Acceptance Indicators	Still Accepted	Accepted Until	Rejection Indicators
Scientonomy	15 February 2017	The ontology became accepted as a result of the acceptance of the respective suggested modification.	No	26 September 2018	The ontology became rejected when it was replaced by Epistemic Elements - Theories Methods and Questions (Rawleigh-2018).

Suggestions To Accept

Here are all the modifications where the acceptance of this theory has been suggested:

Modification	Community	Date Suggested	Summary	Verdict	Verdict Rationale	Date Assessed
Sciento-2017-0002	Scientonomy	23 January 2017	Accept a new ontology of scientific change where the two fundamental elements are theories - both descriptive and normative - and methods.	Accepted	The community has agreed that after the solution of the paradox of normative propositions, there are no obstacles for including normative propositions into the ontology of scientific change.c1 c2 c3 It was also agreed that including normative propositions into the ontology of scientific change "would allow us to grasp the role that methodological and ethical rules play in science".c4	15 February 2017

Suggestions To Reject

These are all the modifications where the rejection of the theory has been suggested:

Modification	Community	Date Suggested	Summary	Verdict	Verdict Rationale	Date Assessed
Sciento-2018-0002	Scientonomy	12 May 2018	Accept the ontology of epistemic elements with theories, methods, and questions as distinct epistemic elements.	Accepted	Following several focused discussions - both in-person and on the discussion page of this modification - it was finally decided that the modification is to be accepted. Three important clarifications were made. First, it was noted that Rawleigh only shows that questions cannot be reduced either to methods or to theories, but it is still conceivable "that questions may be functions of both theories and methods simultaneously".c1 Second, it was decided that accepting the modification is still warranted, since currently we don't have any idea how questions could be reduced to a conjunction of theories and methods.c2 Third, scientonomists are actively encouraged to pursue the question of possibility of reducing questions to a conjunction of theories and methods.c3	26 September 2018

Question Answered

Epistemic Elements - Theories and Methods (Sebastien-2017) is an attempt to answer the following question: What are the fundamental epistemic elements that undergo scientific change?

See Epistemic Elements for more details.

Description

This formulation introduces normative theories (e.g. those of ethics or methodology) into the ontology of scientific change. Thus, all the laws and theorems that concern theories apply not only to descriptive theories but also to normative theories.

Reasons

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Questions About This Theory

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