Re: [Phys-l] Cramster et al.

["John Clement" <clement@hal-pc.org>]

Experiments can also be used to measure things.  For example they can be
used to measure whether people tend to cooperate or compete.  And such
experiments do not necessarily have predictions or hypotheses.  Of course in
psychology such experiments are not black or white, they usually do not show
existence or yes/no.  Indeed a large number of experiments never really have
a prediction, but are of the nature, "I wonder what will happen if" or "Is A
more significant than B".

Experiments often perhaps even usually do not follow the 5 step method
taught in school, as they often do not have a hypothesis.  Actually the vast
majority of experiments are basically parameter measurements, where a
hypothesis is never considered.

So the phrase is NOT nonsense.  The ideas that experiments are only used to
confirm or deny predictions is nonsense.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX

> The phrase "experiments in psychology show" is nonsensical.  Experiments
> can provide counter-examples to predictions, thus showing that the
> predictions are false;  they can also provide examples of successful
> predictions, thus showing that the successful predictions are not false.
> That is the limit of what experiments can do.