Re: What is a theory? LO3685

jack hirschfeld (jack@his.com)
Sun, 12 Nov 1995 19:08:45 -0500

Replying to LO3680 --

Willard Jule said:

>Also, if the reason you want to develop theories is to be able to achieve
>different results than you are achieving today, maybe you don't need
>"theories" at all. If you describe the desired results, backward plan,
>i.e., backward chain to determine what assumptions would have to be
>correct and what transformational process would have to be in place to
>achieve the desried results, then you can go about creating the conditions
>to make the assumptions correct and put the transformation in place.
>Someone might be able to put a theory in place around your actions and
>thoughts, but to what end?

I think this is an interesting theory, Willard. Who formulated it, and
when? Did it supplant another theory? How does it square with the
abundance of theories which declare that nothing you can do will shape the
future? Since most people could tell you things they would like to see in
the future, this theory provides them (you) with a framework for creating
the future. Is this the theory you use to plan your life?

--
Jack Hirschfeld         Don't it always seem to go that you don't know
jack@his.com            what you've got, 'til it's gone?