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The problem with psychology is that it has no theory

Something to Consider • 1019 implied HN points • 07 Jul 24
📖 Philosophy Psychology Economics Human behavior Theories Science
  1. Psychology lacks a solid theoretical framework, making it difficult to draw reliable conclusions from research. Without a guiding theory, findings can feel random and disconnected.
  2. Economics, on the other hand, is built on clear theories that help explain and predict human behavior in markets. These theories allow economists to make strong and testable predictions.
  3. A theory in economics helps researchers know what to expect, and it can influence actual outcomes in the real world, unlike the often unclear results in psychology.

More on Altruism

David Friedman’s Substack • 80 implied HN points • 09 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics Altruism Theories Economics
  1. People don't always act the way we expect when it comes to charity. For example, if you get a raise, you might donate more, but real donors often don't follow this theory and may change their donations based on their feelings instead.
  2. Folk songs often show a preference for marrying for beauty over wealth, suggesting that beauty is seen as noble. However, this often creates tension and even tragedy in the story, revealing complex social dynamics.
  3. Being in love might be related to altruism since loving someone can lead to wanting what’s best for them. But love can also involve mixed feelings, which makes it unclear how altruism plays a role in romantic relationships.

4.1 Heaviside, Poynting, & Energy Flow

Fields & Energy • 239 implied HN points • 12 Jun 24
🔬 Science Physics Energy Electromagnetism Theories Mathematics
  1. Poynting and Heaviside explained how energy moves through space, not just through wires. They believed that energy travels through the surrounding medium as it shifts from one spot to another.
  2. They challenged the traditional 'fluid' model of electricity, saying that while current flows through wires, the energy actually flows outside of them. This highlights the importance of electric and magnetic fields in energy transfer.
  3. The debate between the fluid model and the electromagnetic theory showed that although the latter was complex, it provided a more accurate understanding of how energy moves in electrical systems.

3.4.7 What is “Free Space?”

Fields & Energy • 299 implied HN points • 15 May 24
🔬 Science Physics Electromagnetism Energy Theories History
  1. Free space is a place where electromagnetic waves can travel without any barriers. It has properties that support these waves, even if it seems empty.
  2. In history, scientists debated whether something could exist in a vacuum. They realized that the vacuum still has physical qualities, leading to the idea of the 'æther' as a medium for wave propagation.
  3. Modern physics shows that even a vacuum is rich in properties, meaning it's not truly empty. We should recognize that there's always something there, supporting energy and wave movement.

3.4.8 Maxwell's Methods and Views

Fields & Energy • 219 implied HN points • 22 May 24
🔬 Science Physics Mathematics History Theories Research
  1. Maxwell used physical analogies and models to understand complex electrical and magnetic behaviors. This helped him discover important concepts like the displacement current.
  2. He believed that energy is linked to electromagnetic fields, not just to electric charges. This was a key part of his theory of electromagnetism.
  3. Despite his great contributions, some of Maxwell's ideas were not recognized during his time. His work on gases faced rejection, showing how science can overlook important discoveries.
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What makes a woke theory "Critical?"

Keep your Wokal_distance • 845 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🚌 Education Theories Critical Thinking Social justice Knowledge Philosophy
  1. Critical Social Justice Theorists focus on being 'critical' to analyze concepts and theories within the realm of wokeness.
  2. The term 'critical' holds different meanings in the enlightenment liberal tradition of critical thinking and the woke social justice tradition of critical theory.
  3. Woke activists view truth and knowledge through the lens of power dynamics and social inequalities, rather than objective reality.

2.6.3 The Misinterpretation of Newton

Fields & Energy • 299 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🔬 Science Physics Mathematics History Philosophy Theories
  1. Newton did not explain why gravity exists. He focused on describing what gravity does instead of offering guesses about its cause.
  2. Many scientists after Newton misinterpreted his ideas, leading to a belief that gravity was an essential quality of matter, even though Newton disagreed with such views.
  3. Over time, Newton's concepts became viewed as abstract ideas rather than being connected to real evidence from the physical world.

Mutual and bi-interpretation of models

Infinitely More • 17 implied HN points • 14 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Logic Interpretation Mathematics Theories Models
  1. Mutual interpretation means that two models can understand each other. Each model can be explained using the features of the other.
  2. When you interpret one model within another, it creates a loop of understanding. You can go back and forth between the two models, revealing deeper connections.
  3. Bi-interpretability is when both models not only understand each other but are actually related in a stronger way. This offers even more insights into their structure.

Deceit Theories of the Resurrection

The Worldview Bulletin Newsletter • 137 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Resurrection Theories Belief
  1. Some theories suggest Jesus' resurrection was a result of deceit by his followers, but this is unlikely due to ethical considerations and historical evidence.
  2. Mainstream scholars and historians widely accept the authenticity of Jesus as a historical figure, debunking the mythicism theory that claims Jesus never existed.
  3. Complex conspiracy theories involving faked deaths and elaborate deceptions about Jesus' resurrection lack credibility and are not embraced by credible historians.

Supply and demand can explain anything. That's not great.

Economic Forces • 4 implied HN points • 14 Sep 23
💰 Finance Economics Price theory Inflation Theories Market Dynamics
  1. Using supply and demand to explain observations can be overly flexible and lead to pure sophistry in economics.
  2. Models based on implicit agreements, folk theorems, and coordination failures can be unfalsifiable and offer no predictive power.
  3. When evaluating economic theories, it's important to consider if they can provide meaningful predictions and not just overlapping explanations.

Rulebook Foundations Theory

Living Fossils • 0 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🎾 Sports Rules Theories Analysis Coordination Morality
  1. Sports rules, fouls, and penalties vary but have commonalities in different sports. Rulebook Foundations Theory tries to explain this variation and commonality.
  2. Rulebook Foundations Theory categorizes fouls and penalties into 6 domains including time-related infractions, equipment misuse, and player composition violations.
  3. Understanding why rules exist in sports involves solving a coordination problem to measure performance and deter harm, while organizing the rules is a separate issue addressed by Rulebook Foundations Theory.