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Author Topic:   Working Hypothesis -- what is the value?
Tangle
Member
Posts: 9489
From: UK
Joined: 10-07-2011
Member Rating: 4.9


Message 22 of 92 (735583)
08-18-2014 11:34 AM
Reply to: Message 19 by RAZD
08-18-2014 8:05 AM


Re: Example 4 -- bridge design
RAZD writes:
What theory? How is it falsified?
And I would say that they are not looking to falsify the (theory), but rather to make a practical application, and they throw on a factor of safety to help guard against failure and unknown stresses ... they are using a working hypothesis.
This is what I mean by saying that engineering is the art of applying science for practical purposes.
They may get all 'sciency' in running controlled tests of things like the strengths of materials and even wear lab coats, but their purpose\focus is not to falsify theory but to find ways to make practical applications.
You're normally quite sane, you must have Faith withdrawal symptoms.
It wouldn't be possible to build modern bridges over the spans we need and materials we use, without an enormous quantity of physics. And the idea that a practitioner can not be a scientist is away with the fairies.
But enough already!

Life, don't talk to me about life - Marvin the Paranoid Android
"Science adjusts it's views based on what's observed.
Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved."
- Tim Minchin, in his beat poem, Storm.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 19 by RAZD, posted 08-18-2014 8:05 AM RAZD has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 23 by RAZD, posted 08-18-2014 5:45 PM Tangle has replied

  
Tangle
Member
Posts: 9489
From: UK
Joined: 10-07-2011
Member Rating: 4.9


Message 25 of 92 (735608)
08-18-2014 6:07 PM
Reply to: Message 23 by RAZD
08-18-2014 5:45 PM


Re: Example 4 -- bridge design
RAZD writes:
The amount of physics is actually rather limited in my experience,
But, by your admission, you're not a scientist nor a structural engineer, so you have ruled your opinion out by your own standards.

Life, don't talk to me about life - Marvin the Paranoid Android
"Science adjusts it's views based on what's observed.
Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved."
- Tim Minchin, in his beat poem, Storm.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 23 by RAZD, posted 08-18-2014 5:45 PM RAZD has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 37 by RAZD, posted 08-19-2014 9:27 AM Tangle has replied

  
Tangle
Member
Posts: 9489
From: UK
Joined: 10-07-2011
Member Rating: 4.9


(1)
Message 31 of 92 (735616)
08-19-2014 4:14 AM


If we only allowed those doing 'pure' ie true Scotsman science, to comment on matters and only in their area of specialism and only after full peer review, the world's fora would be silent. (And all cross discipline ideas would be lost.)
Damn silly idea all round. It's the content stupid.

Life, don't talk to me about life - Marvin the Paranoid Android
"Science adjusts it's views based on what's observed.
Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved."
- Tim Minchin, in his beat poem, Storm.

  
Tangle
Member
Posts: 9489
From: UK
Joined: 10-07-2011
Member Rating: 4.9


Message 51 of 92 (735639)
08-19-2014 2:02 PM
Reply to: Message 37 by RAZD
08-19-2014 9:27 AM


Re: Example 4 -- bridge design
RAZD writes:
Not quite right. Currently I am a designer, but In the past I have been a structural engineer and I have run some biological experiments (in a lab, with a lab coat ... ), complete with forming hypothesis and validating them ...
Well yes, but as you are not a practicing scientist, surely you have to rule yourself out? Or is having once held a test tube and owned a white coat enough? (if so, I qualify as a chemist, a biologist, a physicist a couple of other ists two ologies and a chef.)

Life, don't talk to me about life - Marvin the Paranoid Android
"Science adjusts it's views based on what's observed.
Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved."
- Tim Minchin, in his beat poem, Storm.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 37 by RAZD, posted 08-19-2014 9:27 AM RAZD has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 54 by RAZD, posted 08-20-2014 9:58 PM Tangle has replied

  
Tangle
Member
Posts: 9489
From: UK
Joined: 10-07-2011
Member Rating: 4.9


Message 58 of 92 (735664)
08-21-2014 3:28 AM
Reply to: Message 54 by RAZD
08-20-2014 9:58 PM


Re: Example 4 -- bridge design
RAZD writes:
The point is that when I talk about what an engineer does versus what a scientist does I speak from a basis of experience in those areas.
I'm sorry, your experiences are worthless unless you're a 'true scientist' - I find myself unable to take any notice of what you say. This is rather unfortunate as before I knew that you were not a 'true scientist' I thought you had a lot of useful information and ideas.

Life, don't talk to me about life - Marvin the Paranoid Android
"Science adjusts it's views based on what's observed.
Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved."
- Tim Minchin, in his beat poem, Storm.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 54 by RAZD, posted 08-20-2014 9:58 PM RAZD has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 64 by RAZD, posted 08-21-2014 7:45 PM Tangle has not replied

  
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