Fitness Requirements for Scientific Theories Containing Recursive Theoretical Terms

Abstract

In this paper, we have introduced recursive theoretical terms as a class of theoretical terms whose values must be inferred from a history of observations. Although such terms may add much complication, we have shown by the example of Mendelian genetics that theories containing them may still be FIT. That is, such theories may be falsifiable and their recursive theoretical terms may be eliminable, although the elimination process can be complex. Since recursive theoretical terms are defined in terms of themselves through measurements (or actions), it is not obvious what classes of systems containing them will be FIT. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the eliminability and identifiability of recursive theoretical terms is an important topic for further study. (Author) (KR)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 28, 1990
Accession Number
ADA225618

Entities

People

  • Herbert Simon
  • Wei-min Shen

Organizations

  • Carnegie Mellon University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Classical Genetics
  • Classification
  • Computer Programs
  • Computer Science
  • Computers
  • Elimination
  • Equations
  • Genes
  • Genetics
  • Measurement
  • Probabilistic Models
  • Psychology
  • Scientific Theories
  • Security
  • Universities

Readers

  • Mathematical Modeling and Probability Theory.
  • Theoretical Analysis.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - Bayesian Inference
  • AI & ML - Machine Learning Algorithms
  • AI & ML - Neural Networks
  • Biotechnology