Open AccessBook
Philosophy of Natural Science
TLDR
Hempel as mentioned in this paper argued that crucial tests are not sufficient enough to prove or disprove a given hypothesis or to disprove them, and presented his side of this argument using an example of past experiments involving the nature of light.Abstract:
In section 3.3 of [i]Philosophy of Natural Science[/i], Hempel argues that crucial tests are not sufficient enough to prove a given hypothesis or to disprove them. Hempel states what some may believe why a crucial test can prove or disprove a hypothesis. If there are two competing hypothesis which involve the same subject and no available evidence favors one or the other, then there exists a test, which will produce conflicting outcomes for the different hypotheses. This test is the so-called crucial test would then presumably refute one hypothesis while supporting the other. Hempel then presents his side of this argument using an example of past experiments involving the nature of light. He describes how Foucault performed an experiment involving the velocity of light through air and water. This experiment was meant to show whether light consists of waves or extremely small particles as presented by Newton. Foucault’s experiment was performed and the resulting outcome was used to refute Newton’s view of light as small particles traveling at a high velocity. Hempel believed that this test was not strong enough to completely support or refute either view of light. The experiment relied on the assumption that light as waves would travel faster in air than in water. However Hempel argues that the conception of light as streams of particles was too indefinite to assume that it would travel slower in air without additional assumptions about the motion of particles and their surrounding medium. So even though the results may seem to support and prove the wave hypothesis, it doesn’t necessarily disprove the particle theory. In fact Einstein later proposed a theory, which eliminated the classical wave theory, using support from an experiment by Lenard in 1903. But again as in the previous example one of the hypotheses was not definitely refuted, in this case being the wave theory. M.-M. V.read more
Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
Design and natural science research on information technology
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a two-dimensional framework for research in information technology, based on broad types of design and natural science research activities: build, evaluate, theorize, and justify.
Invited Paper Design and natural science research on information technology
TL;DR: It is argued that both design science and natural science activities are needed to insure that IT research is both relevant and effective.
Book
Developing relationships in business networks
Håkan Håkansson,Ivan Snehota +1 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors apply the network approach to the analysis of business relationships in a global context, drawing on a number of international case studies, giving rise to theoretical and practical managerial insights and a different way of conceptualizing companies within markets.
Journal ArticleDOI
Toward a new economics of science
Dasgupta Partha,Paul A. David +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors make use of insights from the theory of games of incomplete information to synthesize the classic approach of Arrow and Nelson in examining the implications of the characteristics of information for allocative efficiency in research activities, on the one hand, with the functionalist analysis of institutional structures, reward systems and behavioral norms of "open science" communities associated with the sociology of science in the tradition of Merton.
Journal ArticleDOI
Positioning and presenting design science research for maximum impact
Shirley Gregor,Alan R. Hevner +1 more
TL;DR: This essay aims to help researchers appreciate the levels of artifact abstractions that may be DSR contributions, identify appropriate ways of consuming and producing knowledge when they are preparing journal articles or other scholarly works, and understand and position the knowledge contributions of their research projects.