Douglas_Reay comments on Causal diagrams and software engineering - Less Wrong

32 Post author: Morendil 07 March 2012 06:23PM

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Comment author: Douglas_Reay 08 March 2012 01:54:17PM 0 points [-]

Now "law" is a strong word to use - the highest level to which an explanation can aspire to reach, as it were.

Just a small quibble, but actually "theory" is higher than "law"...

Here's how America's National Academy of Science defines some basic terms, as used in science:

Fact : In science, an observation that has been repeatedly confirmed.
Law : A descriptive generalization about how some aspect of the natural world behaves under stated circumstances.
Hypothesis : A testable statement about the natural world that can be used to build more complex inferences and explanations.
Theory : In science, a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses.

Comment author: TheOtherDave 08 March 2012 02:39:29PM 1 point [-]

I read that initially as "America's Notional Academy of Science" and spit coffee on my keyboard.
Really need to see an optometrist.

Comment author: Morendil 08 March 2012 03:55:01PM 0 points [-]

Good point, thanks!

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