John W Edser wrote:
 > PostA30
 >
 >>> JE:- Statistical expectations cannot _replace_ a prediction from
 >>> a testable theory of what nature actually  is, it can only help
 >>> test that theories predictions of nature (if they are testable).
 >>
 >
 >> BOH:- Statitical expectations _are_ predictions from a testable
 >> theory of what nature actually is.  At least any quantitative
 >> prediction will have to allow for uncertainty, statistical error
 >> etc, and hence the predictions will have to be of the form of
 >> expectations. The tests of the (quantiative) theory come in the
 >> form of examination of fit of a model to data (goodness of fit
 >> statistics, examination of outliers etc.).
 >
 >
 > JE:- Yes, only a MODEL reality is being entertained and only
 > verification is being employed to "test" this model reality. Any
 > model reality is just an oversimplification of a fully testable (can
 > be verified or refuted) THEORY of nature.
 >
 > Do you agree that such a simplified model cannot contest and win
 > against the theory from which it was derived as just an over
 > simplification?
 >
I'm afraid I'm unable to answer that, as I don't share (or understand) 
your epistemic views on models and theories.

Bob

-- 
Bob O'Hara

Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics
P.O. Box 4 (Yliopistonkatu 5)
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki
Finland
Telephone: +358-9-191 23743
Mobile: +358 50 599 0540
Fax:  +358-9-191 22 779
WWW:  http://www.RNI.Helsinki.FI/~boh/
Journal of Negative Results - EEB: http://www.jnr-eeb.org
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