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It has always surprised me that the scientific method begins only after a hypothesis is chosen. Forming a hypothesis is often based on inference, even instinct,
by nickbauman 11y ago
It has always surprised me that the scientific method begins only after a hypothesis is chosen. Forming a hypothesis is often based on inference, even instinct, that has little science behind it. The work of Barbara McClintock comes to mind.
- pacaro 11y agoAlso worth reading Peter Lipton's "Inference To The Best Explanation" [1] then :) Peter Lipton was my advisor for an undergraduate thesis in HPS at Cambridge, sadly he died quite young [1] http://www.amazon.com/Inference-Explanation-International-Library-Philosophy-ebook/dp/B000OI15SY http://www.amazon.com/Inference-Explanation-International-Li...
- osullivj 11y agoI did Philosophy of Science as a 2nd and 3rd year option in the late 80s at Cambridge. I remember Redwood, but not Lipton. When did you do your thesis?
- pacaro 11y agoI graduated in '93 - I loved the course, but definitely butted heads (to the detriment of grades) with the Marxist tendency of the faculty I have found the History and Philosophy of Science, to be s great preparation for a career as a developer, unfortunately the US CIS trends to disagree making visa/green-card stuff harder than it should have been
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- dexen 11y agoWhich is neatly surmised in epigram 102.: One can't proceed from the informal to the formal by formal means. -- Alan Perlis, ``Epigrams in Programming'' http://www.cs.yale.edu/homes/perlis-alan/quotes.html http://www.cs.yale.edu/homes/perlis-alan/quotes.html