HPS100H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Classical Mechanics, Scientific Community, Tychonic System
28 Nov 2016
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Accepted if it"s considered the best available description of the object. Two incompatible theories can be simultaneously used but not accepted. Only one of the alternatives can be accepted at a time. A theory is used when it is taken as an adequate tool for practical application. From the practical standpoint, theres an accumulation of useful calculating tools, which may not need replacing with new ones. Don"t care about acceptance, only care about the use. A theory is said to be pursued if it is considered worthy of further development. Theory may or may not be accepted, or useful. Every scientific endeavour starts from these guiding ideas. It"s hard to tell which initial idea is worthy of further elaboration and which are not. We use this but we don"t believe it in general and it"s simple. Not the best theory, but we use it because it"s useful. Sometimes the theories coincide in all 3 accepted,used, and pursued.
