Re: [Phys-l] nature of science

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@hep.anl.gov>]

I think that if you think about your questions, you will see thatthey 
belong in discussions about psychology and sociology, not physics.
We are not precise in our use of language.  If, in a seminar, most of
the audience nods their heads in agreement with the speaker's usage,
the speaker is satisfied.
			Regards,
				Jack
On Sun, 19 Mar 2006, Robert Cohen wrote:

> Mangala Joshua asked:
> > 1. What is the basic difference between a theory and a law
> > in science?
>
> to which John Denker responded:
> > The differences, if any, are minor and not worth worrying
> > about. Scientists use words like rule, law, equation,
> > identity, principle, formula, algorithm, etc.
> > almost interchangeably, to describe the process for making
> > predictions (although there are slight variations in connotations).
>
> It seems to me that the "Theory of Gravitation" refers to something that
> is different from the "Law of Gravitation," at least according to the
> way those phrases are typically used nowadays.  When I hear "Theory of
> Gravitation" I think of relativity and explanations for why there is
> gravity whereas when I hear "Law of Gravitation" I think of the inverse
> square relationship between the gravitational force and the separation
> distance.
>
> My question is: Is there any reason why we call one "law" and the other
> "theory" or is it simply because we can't use the same word for both?
> If the latter, could we just as well be referring to the inverse square
> relationship as the "Theory of Gravitation" if we hadn't already settled
> on arbitrarily calling it the "Law of Gravitation" (or visa-versa)?
>
> P.S. I think the original request may have come out of the common
> impression that laws are theories that have been proven to be true.  Is
> there general agreement that this is *not* the case?
>
> ____________________________________________________
> Robert Cohen, Chair, Department of Physics
> East Stroudsburg University; E. Stroudsburg, PA 18301
> 570-422-3428; www.esu.edu/~bbq
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