Re: [Marxism] Popper

[Carrol Cox <cbcox@xxxxxxxxx>]

Jurriaan Bendien wrote:
>
>
> The general point is that science normally operates with far more theory
> than the data really warrants, i.e. our ability to theorise exceeds our
> ability to test theories; Lakatos suggests it may be just as rational to
> continue maintaining a theory, as it is to abandon it, when confronted with
> an anomaly.

I lost the anthology this essay appeared in, and can't remember the
author's name, so what follows is a bit lame.

The author was a biologist, and he tells of an occasion on which he
submitted an article on some research which was imcompatible with the
ruling theory in the field. The journal editor rejected it. About 20
years later further research had created a new context, and his original
artical was proven to be accurate. His judgment: The editor was _RIGHT_
to reject the article. Within the original context, the article's
conclusions simply would have interfered with further research. Purely
anomalous facts are best ignored until they mount up enough to give real
grounds for a new theoretical context.

Carrol


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