Modification:Sciento-2024-0002

Accept a list of necessary indicators of theory decay.

The modification was suggested to Scientonomy community by Sanghoon Oh on 21 February 2024.1 The modification is currently being evaluated; a verdict is pending.

Preamble

To identify historical cases of theory decay, we need a list of historical indicators. It seems that to legitimately claim that episode x involved theory decay, we must be able to show that we are dealing with a continuous epistemic agent that existed throughout the transition in question, that there was a change from theory acceptance to unacceptance, and that the unacceptance took place without any assessment by that agent.

Modification

Accept the following as necessary indicators of theory decay (all three conditions must obtain):

• Agent Continuity: there should be historical evidence that the agent in question continuously existed during the time period under study.
• Change from Theory Acceptance to Unacceptance: there should be clear indications of a theory being accepted at some point and unaccepted at some later point.
• Theory Unacceptance Without Assessment: there should be clear evidence that the theory became unaccepted without any theoretical assessment on the part of the agent.

Verdict

The modification is currently being evaluated; a verdict is pending.

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