[MD] Alternatives to the scientific method

[gav]

forgot the observer eh?


--- "Laycock, Jos (OSPT)"
<Jos.Laycock at OFFSOL.GSI.GOV.UK> wrote:

> Ian --
> > 
> > > I was not referring to the hypothesis, but the
> four step 
> > process itself;
> > > that is presumed common sense too, but unfounded
> and untestable
> > > in itself. (A meta-problem)
> 
> Ham
> 
> What grounds do you have for this claim?  And what
> would Ian Glendinning 
> propose as a more efficacious alternative to the
> scientific method?
> 
> Me:
> 
> Ham, I think that by asking that question you miss
> your own opportunity to even try and come up with
> something, would you like to join Ian out on his
> limb and see if anything springs to mind?
> 
> To re-state it:
> 
> 1)Propose an explanatory hypothesis to describe the
> operation of a given system, 
> 2)Invent experiments that are potentially
> confounding of that hypothesis and test it to
> destruction. 
> 3)Repeat steps 1 & 2 iteratively until satisfied
> that no further potentially confounding experiments
> can be conceived of. 
> 4)Write down your conclusions and show them to some
> other scientists.
> 
> Seems reasonable enough, but the issues are:
> Why look at that particular system?
> Why test these particular hypotheses?
> What defines the operational parameters of the
> system? - and further, 
> When science by its nature makes a requirement of
> impartiality, how do you ensure that you pursue
> hypothesis formulation with equal zeal as
> experimental investigation? Its like asking a lawyer
> to be defence and prosecution at the same time.
> 
> So, enough negativity then, lets have some
> suggestions,
> Mine is as follows:
> 
> 
> "Test everything"
> Random/Chaotic hypothesis formulations are made by a
> supercomputer SC1 based on a dataset of all
> available data. These are constantly "tested" by an
> adversarial supercomputer SC2, and the results of
> SC2 are fed back to SC1 as further information on
> which to base new hypotheses. 
> Communications between computers 1 & 2 is monitored
> by 3rd independent supercomputer which maps the
> iterations and extrapolates from the developing
> patterns to predict end points. These are also fed
> back to SC1, and the communications between SC3 and
> SC1 are monitored and mapped by you guessed it SC4
> etc.....
> 
> The logical operations of SC2, 3 and 4 etc... need
> to be defined and I suggest using a further
> independent supercomputer to use genetic algorithms
> to define the logic of the other computers
> pragmatically from the results of their own early
> experiments, constantly refreshing them with "new
> best logics" as it refines them.
> 
> So the whole thing would create layers of patterns
> of information, and define sets of pragmatic rules
> to operate at each level, generating no answers at
> all, but instead setting out the available data in
> one large ordered pattern allowing an observer
> to......
> 
> oh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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