Re: What is a theory? LO4110

Willard Jule (75272.3452@compuserve.com)
06 Dec 95 22:05:37 EST

Replying to LO3685 --

Jack Hirschfeld responded to my comment (both are included here)

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?

Jack responded

"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, thanks for the comments. I don't see my comments as being a theory.
I see them as describing a process, i.e., a sequence of actions designed
to produce a specified result. In my world view, a theory is a hypothesis
for testing that contains cause-effect statements. Whereas a process
helps translate thought into action and results.

Michael McMaster wrote in response to the same posting,

"I do think that theory is for those who want to achieve different
results. But isn't what you then go on to describe as an approach a
theory in itself? Isn't it grounded in some other theories about
people, our relationship to the world, and how we produce results?
And I can test and challenge your theory by trying it, by comparing
it to different approaches (say that make theory explicit or pursue
it creatively) and I can reject it by thought without the need for
action. This last is important because the field of possibility of
theory is too large to explore in total - let alone the field of
opinion, feeling and intuituion."

Michael, your statement you can reject a theory by thought alone leads me
to conclude that you have a knowledge base and mental processes that go
beyond those of most of us mere mortals. I have found that when I venture
into that realm I end up with a great deal of egg on my face.

Your comment brings to mind three quotes.

"A man with experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument."

This situatin ahs smitten my arrogance too many times for me to count (OK,
I'm a slow learner).

"Every act of creation first of all is an act of destruction because the
new idea will destroy what a lot of people believe is essential to the
survival of their intellectual world." Pablo Picasso

"A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely
rearranging their predjudices." William James

Humility is not something that I wear well, but these two quotes remind me
that if I am not humble then I will be humbled.

Later.

Willard

--
Willard Jule <75272.3452@compuserve.com>