Property:Object
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This is a property of type Text.
A
Criteria for determining whether a theory is ''acceptable'' or ''unacceptable.'' +
A group that does not have a collective intentionality. +
The commentators of suggested modifications are allowed to suggest reformulations of the original formulations in the comments. By default, the new formulation should bear the original author’s name, unless the author decides to give credit to those who significantly contributed to the new reformulation. +
At the level of metatheory, the relevant evidence for assessing a scientonomic theory ''ought to be'' the facts relating to the state of the ''scientific mosaic'' and its ''transitions''. The complete list of relevant phenomena that ought to be considered can ''only'' be identified for a specific scientonomic theory. +
The employment of new methods can ''be'' but is not ''necessarily'' a result of the acceptance of new theories. +
Community A is said to be delegating authority over topic ''x'' to community B ''iff'' (1) community A accepts that community B is an expert on topic ''x'' and (2) community A will accept a theory on topic ''x'' if community B says so. +
Epistemic agent A is said to be delegating authority over question ''x'' to epistemic agent B ''iff'' (1) agent A accepts that agent B is an expert on question ''x'' and (2) agent A will accept a theory answering question ''x'' if agent B says so. +
B
Only a community can be a bearer of a scientific mosaic. +
C
A modification should be accepted by default if there are no objections within a 90-day period following its publication. +
The verdict on a suggested modification should be decided by a communal vote that will follow the discussion period. +
A group that has a collective intentionality. +
doesn't exist +
exists +
The ability of two elements to coexist in the same mosaic. +
At any moment of time, the elements of the scientific mosaic are compatible with each other. +
Criteria for determining whether two theories are ''compatible'' or ''incompatible.'' +
Criteria for determining whether two elements are compatible or incompatible. +
Theory assessment is an assessment of a proposed modification of the mosaic by the method employed at the time. +
A core question of a discipline is a question identified in the discipline’s delineating theory as definitive of the discipline. +
A core theory of a discipline is a theory presupposed by the discipline’s core questions. +
D
A statement of the meaning of a term. +
exists +
A second-order theory identifying the set of core questions of a discipline. +
Criteria for determining whether a theory is ''scientific'' or ''unscientific.'' +
Every theory that becomes accepted satisfies the demarcation criteria employed at the time of acceptance. +
A set of propositions that attempts to describe something. +
exists +
Descriptive Theory +
A discipline is characterized by (1) a non-empty set of core questions ''Q'' and (2) the delineating theory stating that ''Q'' are the core questions of the discipline. +
A discipline is said to be accepted by an epistemic agent if that agent accepts the core questions specified in the discipline’s delineating theory as well as the delineating theory itself. +
If an accepted theory is taken as the final truth, it will always remain accepted; no new theory on the subject can ever be accepted. +
All substantive methods are necessarily dynamic. +
E
exists +
Non-Scientonomic +
A method is said to be ''employed'' at time ''t'' if, at time ''t'', theories become accepted only when their acceptance is permitted by the method. +
A method is said to be employed if its requirements constitute the actual expectations of the community. +
An action of an epistemic agent that involves an epistemic element. +
exists +
An agent capable of taking epistemic stances towards epistemic elements. +
exists +
A community that has a collective intentionality to know the world. +
A non-epistemic community can consist of epistemic communities. +
exists +
Epistemic Community +
exists +
A theory is said to be an epistemic presupposition of a question for some agent, ''iff'' the agent accepts that accepting any direct answer to the question will necessitate accepting the theory. +
exists +
The list of possible stances towards a method is limited to ''employment''. +
Question Acceptance +
Theory Acceptance +
A physical object or system is an epistemic tool for an epistemic agent ''iff'' there is a procedure by which the tool can provide an acceptable source of knowledge for answering some question under the employed method of that agent. +
An epistemic agent is said to commit an error if the agent accepts a theory that should not have been accepted given that agent’s employed method. +
The handling of instances of scientific error is consistent with the theory rejection theorem; it involves a replacement of an erroneously accepted theory either with a first- or second-order proposition. +
Propositional knowledge that hasn’t been openly formulated by the agent. +
Propositional knowledge that has been openly formulated by the agent. +
G
An epistemic action that is available to all epistemic agents trans-historically and universally. +
exists +
Global Epistemic Action +
The goal of peer reviews in the scientonomic workflow is evaluation for ''pursuitworthiness'' rather than ''acceptability''. +
Two or more people who share any characteristic. +
H
The encyclopedia editors should be granted official housekeeping rights to handle the ripple effects. If the additional required changes are ''implicit'' in the suggested modification, the editors should create and alter encyclopedia pages to ensure that the accepted body of scientonomic knowledge is properly documented; if it is conceivable to accept the modification ''without'' accepting the ripple effect change in question, the editors should register these changes as new suggested modifications so that the community can discuss and evaluate them in an orderly fashion. +
A sub-type of multiple authority delegation where different communities are delegated different degrees of authority over topic ''x''. +
A sub-type of multiple authority delegation where different epistemic agents are delegated different degrees of authority over question ''x''. +
Hierarchical Authority Delegation +
A descriptive discipline that attempts to trace and explain ''individual'' changes in the scientific mosaic. +
I
A logical transition from one theory to another. +
Not explicit. +
The ''employed method'' of theory appraisal of a community at some time is not necessarily indicated by the ''methodological texts'' of that time and must be inferred from ''actual patterns'' of theory acceptance and other ''indirect evidence''. +
''Indicators of theory acceptance'' are textual sources that represent the position of a scientific community regarding a theory at some time. Useful indicators are ''contextual'' to time and culture. They might include such things as ''encyclopedias'', ''textbooks'', ''university curricula'', and ''minutes of association meetings''. +
Individual Epistemic Agent +
The level of the beliefs of the individual scientist about the world and the rules she employs in theory assessment. +
Non-propositional knowledge, i.e. knowledge that cannot, even in principle, be formulated as a set of propositions. +
Inferring Theory Assessment Outcomes from Acceptance or Unacceptance of Two Contenders (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) +
There is a series of inferences that can be made from the acceptance or unacceptance of two contender theories. +
Inferring Theory Assessment Outcomes from Acceptance or Unacceptance of a Single Contender (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) +
There is a series of inferences that can be made from the acceptance or unacceptance of a single contender. +
L
A local action ''A'' is said to be available to an epistemic agent ''iff'' that agent employs the norm “''A'' is permissible/desirable”. +
A local epistemic action becomes available to an agent only when its permissibility/desirability is derivable from a non-empty subset of other elements of the agent’s mosaic. +
An epistemic action that is not available trans-historically to all epistemic agents, but is specific to some time periods or some agents. +
exists +
Local Epistemic Action +
A theory is said to be a logical presupposition of a question, ''iff'' the theory is logically entailed by any direct answer to the question. +
exists +
M
A set of requirements for employment in theory assessment. +
A set of criteria for theory evaluation. +
A set of methods is said to constitute a hierarchy ''iff'' theories that satisfy the requirements of methods that are higher in the hierarchy are preferred to theories that satisfy the requirements of methods that are lower in the hierarchy. +
exists +
A method ceases to be employed only when other methods that are incompatible with the method become employed. +
A set of explicitly formulated rules of theory assessment. +
A normative discipline that formulates the rules which ought to be employed in theory assessment. +
A normative theory that prescribes the rules which ought to be employed in theory assessment. +
A methodology can shape employed methods, but only if its requirements implement abstract requirements of some other employed method. +
A scientific change where two mosaics turn into one united mosaic. +
A scientific change where one mosaic transforms into two or more mosaics. +
Community A is said to engage in a relationship of multiple authority delegation over topic ''x'' ''iff'' community A delegates authority over topic ''x'' to more than one community. +
Epistemic agent A is said to engage in a relationship of multiple authority delegation over question ''x'' ''iff'' A delegates authority over question ''x'' to more than one epistemic agent. +
Communities A and B are said to be in a relationship of mutual authority delegation ''iff'' community A delegates authority over topic ''x'' to community B, and community B delegates authority over topic ''y'' to community A. +
Epistemic agents A and B are said to be in a relationship of mutual authority delegation ''iff'' A delegates authority over question ''x'' to B, and B delegates authority over question ''y'' to A. +
N
In order for the process of scientific change to be possible, the mosaic must necessarily contain at least one employed method. +
When two mutually incompatible theories satisfy the requirements of the current method, the mosaic necessarily splits in two. +
In order for the process of scientific change to be possible, the mosaic must necessarily contain at least one element. That is, scientific change is impossible in an empty mosaic. +
A community that does not have a collective intentionality to know the world. +
A sub-type of multiple authority delegation where different communities are delegated the same degree of authority over topic ''x''. +
A sub-type of multiple authority delegation where different epistemic agents are delegated the same degree of authority over question ''x''. +
A norm is said to be employed if its requirements constitute the actual expectations of an epistemic agent. +
exists +
Norm Employment +
A norm becomes rejected when other elements that are incompatible with the norm become part of the mosaic. +
An agent takes theory ''A'' to normatively infer theory ''B'' ''iff'' the agent accepts ''A'', accepts that ''A''→''B'', and accepts (''ε'', ''A'', ''A''→''B'') →<sub>''ε''</sub> (Should accept ''B''). +
A set of propositions that attempts to prescribe something. +
exists +
Normative Theory +
O
Communities A and B are said to be in a relationship of one-sided authority delegation ''iff'' community A delegates authority over topic ''x'' to community B, but community B doesn’t delegate any authority to community A. +
Epistemic agents A and B are said to be in a relationship of one-sided authority delegation ''iff'' A delegates authority over question ''x'' to B, but B doesn’t delegate any authority to A. +
An outcome of theory assessment which prescribes that the theory must be accepted. +
An outcome of theory assessment which allows for the theory to be accepted but doesn't dictate so. +
It is unclear whether or not the requirements of the method employed at the time are met. +
An outcome of theory assessment which prescribes that the theory must not be accepted. +
The theory is deemed to conclusively not meet the requirements of the method employed at the time. +
The theory is deemed to conclusively meet the requirements of the method employed at the time. +
P
Scientonomy is possible because the process of scientific change exhibits lawful general regularities. +
When a theory assessment outcome is inconclusive, a mosaic split is possible. +
A method which doesn't presuppose any contingent propositions. +
The discussions concerning a suggested modification are to be published once a communal verdict is available. The discussions are to be published in the journal as special commentary articles co-authored by all participants of the discussion or in special edited collections. +
''Pursuit'' is a distinct epistemic stance that is not reducible to or expressible through ''acceptance''. +
Q
A topic of inquiry. +
A question is said to be accepted if it is taken as a legitimate topic of inquiry. +
exists +
Question Acceptance +
exists +
An epistemic agent ''S'' considers a question ''Q'' pursuitworthy, if and
only if ''S'' accepts that it is worth finding a theory ''T'' that answers ''Q''. +
A question becomes rejected when other elements that are incompatible with the question become accepted. +
A question becomes rejected when other elements that are incompatible with the question become part of the mosaic. +
Tautological +
R
An agent takes theory ''A'' to be a reason for theory ''B'' ''iff'' the agent accepts that ''A''→''B'', employs ''ε'', and accepts (''ε'', ''A'', ''A''→''B'') →<sub>''ε''</sub> (Should accept ''B''). +
The new third law resolves the paradox of normative propositions by making it clear that employed methods don't necessarily follow from ''all'' accepted theories, but only from ''some''. +
The failures of past theories of scientific change do not imply the inevitability of future failure or that the enterprise in inherently unsound. +
Scientonomy does not postulate the existence of a universal and unchanging method of science; thus the fact that methods of science are changeable is not detrimental to the prospects of scientonomy. +
If there were indeed nothing permanent in science, then scientonomy would be impossible, however, scientonomy posits only that there are regularities in the process of scientific change. +
Science can be said to be socially constructed in several different senses (e.g. the contingency, nominalist, and reducibility theses). None of these preclude the possibility of scientonomy. +
S
Any change in the ''scientific mosaic'', i.e. a transition from one accepted ''theory'' to another or from one employed ''method'' to another. +
A set of all accepted ''theories'' and employed ''methods''. +
A set of all epistemic elements accepted and/or employed by an epistemic agent. +
A model of all epistemic elements accepted or employed by the epistemic agent. +
Transitions from one state of the mosaic to another are not necessarily deterministic. Scientific change is not a strictly deterministic process. +
Scientonomic knowledge is best advanced by:
# documenting the body of accepted communal knowledge in an online encyclopedia;
# scrutinizing this accepted knowledge, identifying its flaws, and formulating open questions at seminars, conferences, publications, and other in-person or online formats;
# publishing journal articles that propose modifications to our current knowledge and documenting these suggestions;
# evaluating the suggested modifications with the goal of reaching a communal consensus and changing the respective encyclopedia pages when a verdict is reached. +
A descriptive discipline that attempts to uncover the actual ''general'' mechanism of scientific change. +
Scientonomy ought to address the issue of how transitions from one accepted theory to another take place and what logic governs this evolution, and need not deal in questions of theory pursuit or use. +
Scientonomy should account for all changes to the scientific mosaic, regardless of which fields of inquiry they concern. +
Scientonomy should provide explanations of all kinds of changes to the scientific mosaic at ''all scales'' from the most minor transitions to the most major. +
Scientonomy ought to account for all scientific changes for all time periods where a scientific mosaic can be found. +
Scientonomy should describe and explain how changes in the mosaic of accepted scientific theories and employed methods take place. Any such instance of scientific change is a result of appraisal, which is a decision of the community to accept a proposed modification to the mosaic. Scientonomy must provide an account of this appraisal process. A theory of scientific change is not required to account for the process of theory construction. +
Scientonomy is a descriptive discipline whose main task is to explain the process of changes in the scientific mosaic. It is distinct from normative methodology, whose task is to evaluate and prescribe methods. The findings of scientonomy may be used in such normative evaluations, but scientonomy itself should not be expected to perform any normative functions. +
A scientonomic theory ought to distinguish between explicit statements of methodology, and actual employed methods, which may sometimes be implicit. It ought to account for employed methods, whether they correspond with stated methodology, or are purely implicit. +
It is implicit in the definition of scientonomy that it should explain changes in the scientific mosaic of accepted theories and employed methods, which are changes at the level of the scientific community. It need not account for changes at the level of the beliefs of individuals. +
Community A is said to engage in a relationship of singular authority delegation over topic ''x'' ''iff'' community A delegates authority over topic ''x'' to exactly one community. +
Epistemic agent A is said to engage in a relationship of singular authority delegation over question ''x'' ''iff'' A delegates authority over question ''x'' to exactly one epistemic agent. +
The level of the scientific community and its mosaic of accepted theories and employed methods. +
Sociocultural factors can affect the process of theory acceptance insofar as it is permitted by the method employed at the time. +
When a mosaic split is a result of the acceptance of only one theory, it can only be a result of inconclusive theory assessment. +
All procedural methods are necessarily static. +
A discipline ''A'' is a subdiscipline of another discipline ''B'', ''iff'' the set of questions of ''A'', ''Q<sub>A</sub>'', is a proper subset of the questions of ''B'', ''Q<sub>B</sub>'', i.e. ''Q<sub>A</sub>'' ⸦ ''Q<sub>B</sub>''. +
A question ''Q'' is a subquestion of another question ''Q’'', iff any direct answer to ''Q'' is also a partial answer to ''Q’''. +
A method which presupposes at least one contingent proposition. +
An agent takes theory ''A'' to be a sufficient reason for (accepting) theory ''B'' ''iff'' the following four conditions are met:
(1) The agent accepts ''A''.
(2) The agent accepts that ''A'' → ''B''.
(3) The agent employs ''ε''.
(4) The agent accepts (''ε'', ''A'', ''A''→''B'') →<sub>''ε''</sub> (Should accept ''B''). +
A theory becomes accepted by an agent, when an agent has a sufficient reason for accepting it. +
An agent takes theory ''A'' to be supporting theory ''B'' ''iff'' the agent accepts ''A'' and accepts that ''A''→''B''. +
A method becomes rejected only when some of the theories, from which it follows, also become rejected. +
T
Propositional technological knowledge can be accepted and be part of a mosaic. +
An element of the mosaic remains in the mosaic unless replaced by other elements. +
An employed method remains employed unless replaced by other methods. +
An employed norm remains employed in the mosaic unless replaced by other elements. +
An accepted question remains accepted in the mosaic unless replaced by other elements. +
Tautological +
An accepted theory remains accepted unless replaced by other theories. +
An accepted theory remains accepted in the mosaic unless replaced by other elements. +
If a pair of elements satisfies the compatibility criteria employed at the time, it becomes compatible within the mosaic; if it does not, it is deemed incompatible; and if assessment is inconclusive, the pair can become compatible, incompatible, or its status may be unknown. +
Not Tautological +
A method becomes employed only if it is derivable from a non-empty subset of other elements of the mosaic. +
A norm becomes employed only if it is derivable from a non-empty subset of other elements of the mosaic. +
A question becomes accepted only if all of its epistemic presuppositions are accepted and it is accepted that the question is answerable. +
If a theory satisfies the demarcation criteria of the method employed at the time, it becomes scientific; if it does not, it remains unscientific; if assessment is inconclusive, the theory’s status can become scientific, unscientific, or uncertain. +
Not Tautological +
In order to become accepted into the mosaic, a theory is assessed by the method actually employed at the time. +
If a theory satisfies the acceptance criteria of the method employed at the time, it becomes accepted into the mosaic; if it does not, it remains unaccepted; if assessment is inconclusive, the theory can be accepted or not accepted. +
The Second Law (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) is Not Tautological (Patton-Overgaard-Barseghyan-2017) +
Not Tautological +
A method becomes employed only when it is deducible from other employed methods and accepted theories of the time. +
A method becomes employed only when it is deducible from some subset of other employed methods and accepted theories of the time. +
At any moment of time, the elements of the scientific mosaic are compatible with each other. +
A set of propositions that attempt to describe something. +
A set of propositions. +
A theory is said to be accepted if it is taken as the best available description of its object. +
A theory is said to be accepted by an epistemic agent if it is taken as the best available answer to its respective question. +
An accepted theory is a scientific theory that is taken as the best available description or prescription of its object. +
A theory is said to be accepted if it is taken as the best available description or prescription of its object. +
exists +
Theory Acceptance +
The possible outcomes of theory assessment are ''accept'', ''not accept'', and ''inconclusive''. +
The possible outcomes of theory assessment are ''satisfied'', ''not satisfied'', and ''inconclusive''. +
exists +
Theory Decay +
exists +
A theory is said to be pursued if it is considered worthy of further development. +
A theory becomes rejected only when other theories that are incompatible with the theory become accepted. +
A theory becomes rejected when other elements that are incompatible with the theory become part of the mosaic. +
A theory is said to be used if it is taken as an adequate tool for practical application. +
An epistemic agent is said to rely on an epistemic tool ''iff'' there is a procedure through which the tool can provide an acceptable source of knowledge for answering some question under the employed method of that agent. +
U
The process of method change is not necessarily deterministic: employed methods are by no means the only possible implementations of abstract requirements. +
The process of theory change is not necessarily deterministic: there may be cases when both a theory's acceptance and its unacceptance are equally possible. +
