What is a good theory in science?

How does science work? And what's all this about quantum mechanics?

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uwot
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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by uwot »

Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 7:56 amOn average, TOE predominates.
Yes, but if you look at the range of religions, there are a lot of TOES.
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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by Philosophy Explorer »

uwot wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 7:02 am
Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 4:26 amHere's a good question for you, uwot. If a theory is working 100% effectively, then why more theories?
Different reasons. You could make any theory work 100% by adding ad hoc hypotheses to explain anomalies. You could add more epicycles and equates to Ptolemy's geocentric model and it would work perfectly, but apart from being extremely complicated the idea that we are stationary and that everything else is moving, to most people, is ridiculous.
GR and QM are both working 100%, but they are based on different ideas. GR is based on the idea that the universe is made of smooth stuff, whereas QM shows quite clearly that it is lumpy. So there is a lot of effort put into reconciling these two views.
Have you examined all theories? How many are there and how many have you examined? Ad hoc hypotheses are used specifically, but the theories may still be unproven.
Ptolemy's geometric model violates Occam's Razor as it contains extraneous information so I don't regard it as a true theory.

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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by Philosophy Explorer »

uwot wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 8:28 am
Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 7:56 amOn average, TOE predominates.
Yes, but if you look at the range of religions, there are a lot of TOES.
I don't regard religion as science.

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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by Philosophy Explorer »

Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 8:31 am
uwot wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 8:28 am
Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 7:56 amOn average, TOE predominates.
Yes, but if you look at the range of religions, there are a lot of TOES.
I don't regard religion as science. Apparently you don't have a true interest in science.

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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by Philosophy Explorer »

Here's something else for you, uwot. Although your blogspot has pretty pictures (nonaminated though), it merely repeats common knowledge. It doesn't deal with science mysteries. For example it doesn't go into antimatter, not even speculation as to why antimatter is unstable.

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uwot
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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by uwot »

Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 8:40 amI don't regard religion as science. Apparently you don't have a true interest in science.
Enough to do an MSc in History and Philosophy of Science. There's no way of telling how many theories there are, but I've had to critically analyse all the ones which are taken seriously by the scientific community.
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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by Philosophy Explorer »

uwot wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 9:00 am
Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 8:40 amI don't regard religion as science. Apparently you don't have a true interest in science.
Enough to do an MSc in History and Philosophy of Science. There's no way of telling how many theories there are, but I've had to critically analyse all the ones which are taken seriously by the scientific community.
Since you take religion seriously as a basis for TOE, then I don't regard you as a true scientist. I could ask you why you critically analysed all the TOEs taken seriously by the scientific community, but I don't see the point to doing that. It seems you stretch science to fit your own agenda so I can't have a serious discussion with you about it.

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uwot
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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by uwot »

Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 8:58 am Here's something else for you, uwot. Although your blogspot has pretty pictures (nonaminated though)...
That's because it's written as a book.
Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 8:58 am...it merely repeats common knowledge. It doesn't deal with science mysteries. For example it doesn't go into antimatter, not even speculation as to why antimatter is unstable.
Well, it gives a novel mechanism for gravity and Dark Energy, but there's only so much you can fit into 50 pages. The idea though wasn't to explain everything from scratch, but rather to make common knowledge accessible to people who don't have the skills yet, or inclination to understand the Big Bang, Relativity and Quantum Mechanics mathematically.
uwot
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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by uwot »

Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 9:09 amSince you take religion seriously as a basis for TOE...
I don't think religion is any way to address science, but I think you have to take other people's views seriously, particularly if you are to challenge them.
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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by Philosophy Explorer »

uwot wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 9:14 am
Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 9:09 amSince you take religion seriously as a basis for TOE...
I don't think religion is any way to address science, but I think you have to take other people's views seriously, particularly if you are to challenge them.
I don't take religion seriously as it often doesn't rely on science. That's why this forum has separate categories for science and religion. So I don't have to take religion-based "science" views seriously to challenge them.

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uwot
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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by uwot »

Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 9:39 amI don't take religion seriously as it often doesn't rely on science.
Who you take seriously and why is entirely your prerogative, but to disregard someone's scientific opinions because they hold some religious view is ad hominem. There's a lot of sound science you'd have to ignore. In my case you are not obliged to take anything I say seriously, but it can't be because of my religious beliefs, because I don't hold any.
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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by Philosophy Explorer »

uwot wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 10:14 am
Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 9:39 amI don't take religion seriously as it often doesn't rely on science.
Who you take seriously and why is entirely your prerogative, but to disregard someone's scientific opinions because they hold some religious view is ad hominem. There's a lot of sound science you'd have to ignore. In my case you are not obliged to take anything I say seriously, but it can't be because of my religious beliefs, because I don't hold any.
Still my prerogative.

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uwot
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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by uwot »

Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 10:19 amStill my prerogative.
Of course. And as someone with experience of telemarketing, I'm sure you are used to people hanging up on you.
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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by Philosophy Explorer »

uwot wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 10:55 am
Philosophy Explorer wrote: Tue May 01, 2018 10:19 amStill my prerogative.
Of course. And as someone with experience of telemarketing, I'm sure you are used to people hanging up on you.
Just means I can devote my time towards those who make better prospects (btw few hung up on me).

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Re: What is a good theory in science?

Post by Philosophy Explorer »

I will give a partial answer to the topic title.

A good theory:

1) Must be able to predict accurately.
2) Must have plenty of physical evidence. How much? Enough to allow the theory to predict accurately.
3) Also a good theory should be able to explain its subject

Anything else?

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