Rules for Making Discoveries

Abstract

Joseph Agassi’s paper and my critical appraisal were not very far apart; his reply shows we are closer than appeared. He notes we both accept the distinction between applied science and technology, though for different reasons; he agrees about the need to find out what agrees and what does not agree with a theory and that we want to solve our problems; he corrects me about success, for the attacks not success but success philosophy. (I confess I still think that in denying the relevance of corroboration to science he is denying the significance of success.) Our slight divergences are these: (1) Agassi argues against my estimate that there might be grave loss if a theory were refuted at the first test. (2) He thinks I have made a technical mistake about what is to count as corroboration on Popper’s theory. (3) Agassi continues to object to reducing scientific invention to an algorithm.

First published in Technology and Culture 8 (1967), 210–212.