Scientific Theory Vocabulary

After reading the second half of chapter two, I was most interested in the scientific theories vocabulary. Scientific theories are self-evident systems with a vocabulary that divides into two parts. First, there is the observation language, which consists of terms that can be learned in application to pieces in the observable parts of nature. Second, there is the theoretical language that consists of the nonlogical terms that cannot be learned. The self-evidence (axioms) of the the theoretical language divide into three important types. This is where I start to become a little lost. First, there are theoretical postulates, whose only nonlogical vocabulary is theoretical. Second, there are correspondence rules that contain both theoretical and

In regards to a traditional view, the goals of scientific inquiry are prediction, control, and understanding. I think this makes sense in order to develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas. The first two, (prediction and control), are practical. Scientific predictions prepare people for what to expect under various conditions, so they can adjust their behavior accordingly. The goal of interventions is to reach outcomes people want to achieve. The third goal, understanding, is introduced to express the sense of the importance of pure knowledge of nature. The part about Hume was quite intriguing, for Hume argues that our experiences of causal connection never reveal to us the necessary link between cause and effect. Hume believed that causation is exhausted by repetition, or patterns of succession we observe or infer. I furthered my research of this topic and found more information that gave me a better understanding of causation. Causation allows us to infer an effect from a cause or vice-versa. For example, if we know an event and how it operates a cause, we can infer its effects. Hume believes that you cannot make this prediction based on one experience, for you need repeated experiences of the same event following the first. According to Hume, the basis for our idea of causation is constant conjunction. I remember briefly going over Hume last year in central problems of philosophy, so this is all somewhat