The "decline effect" refers to a phenomenon observed in psychological and other scientific research where the size of an effect diminishes over time, typically when studies are replicated. This decline in effect size can be seen in various domains, including psychology, medicine, and other social sciences. One classic example of the decline effect is seen in studies related to the efficacy of certain psychological interventions, where initial studies may show a strong positive effect, but subsequent replications produce weaker outcomes.
The Demarcation Problem is a philosophical issue concerning the distinction between science and non-science (including pseudoscience). It seeks to establish criteria that can effectively differentiate scientific practices, theories, and methodologies from those that do not meet the standards of scientific rigor. Key aspects of the Demarcation Problem include: 1. **Scientific Method**: Many discussions revolve around the criteria defining what constitutes the scientific method, such as falsifiability, testability, and empirical validation.
Desacralization of knowledge refers to a process through which knowledge, beliefs, or systems that were once considered sacred, authoritative, or untouchable are re-evaluated, critiqued, or secularized. This concept often emerges in discussions around how society interacts with established ideas, institutions, or traditions, particularly in fields such as religion, philosophy, science, and education.
"Episteme" is a term derived from ancient Greek philosophy, primarily associated with the work of philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. In general, it refers to knowledge, particularly in the context of scientific or rational understanding. The term contrasts with "doxa," which means opinion or belief. In various philosophical discussions, episteme is seen as a form of knowledge that is justified and applicable, often tied to objective truths.
Epistemic humility refers to the recognition of the limits of one's knowledge and understanding. It involves an awareness that one may not have all the answers and that our beliefs, perspectives, and conclusions might be flawed or incomplete. This concept encourages an openness to new information, a willingness to consider alternative viewpoints, and an acknowledgment that our understanding of complex issues is often provisional and subject to change.
Eternity is a concept that refers to an infinite or unending duration of time. It is often associated with philosophical, religious, and metaphysical discussions. Within these contexts, eternity can be viewed in several ways: 1. **Philosophical Perspective**: In philosophy, eternity can be understood as a state that exists outside of time, where past, present, and future are perceived simultaneously.
The Parable of the Sunfish is a story often used to illustrate a lesson about perspective, personal growth, and the importance of realizing one’s potential. While there are various versions and interpretations, the core message generally revolves around a fisherman who encounters a sunfish that is stuck, or unable to swim freely because it doesn’t recognize its own strength and capabilities. In one common interpretation, the sunfish is confined to a small area, believing it can only swim in limited circles.
An experimental system generally refers to a setup or framework designed to test hypotheses, explore scientific principles, or investigate particular phenomena through structured experimentation. This concept is applicable in various fields such as science, engineering, social sciences, and more. Here are some key characteristics: 1. **Controlled Environment**: Experimental systems often involve a controlled setting where variables can be isolated to determine cause-and-effect relationships. This allows researchers to manipulate one or more independent variables while observing changes in dependent variables.
"Explanandum" and "explanans" are terms used in the philosophy of science and logic to describe components of an explanation. 1. **Explanandum**: This term refers to the phenomenon or event that needs to be explained. It is essentially the statement or the proposition that describes what is to be understood or clarified. For example, if we say, "The ice is melting," the melting of the ice is the explanandum.
Folk science refers to the common, intuitive understanding and explanations of natural phenomena that are held by the general public, often based on everyday experiences and observations rather than formal scientific training or rigorous methodologies. It encompasses the beliefs, practices, and heuristics that people use to make sense of the world around them, and it can include traditional knowledge, folklore, and anecdotes passed down through generations.
A **free parameter** is a variable in an equation or model that can take on a range of values, allowing for flexibility in its behavior or fit to data. In many contexts, such as statistics, physics, and machine learning, free parameters are crucial for defining the relationships between different quantities or for customizing a model to better suit observational or experimental data.
As of my last knowledge update in October 2023, "Genidentity" does not refer to a widely recognized term or concept in academic or popular discourse. It may be a relatively new term that has emerged since then, or it could refer to a niche topic in a specific field such as genetics, identity studies, or perhaps a brand or organization.
The Hierarchy of the Sciences is a concept that categorizes scientific disciplines based on the complexity and foundational principles of study. This hierarchy often reflects a pyramid-like structure where the sciences are organized from the most foundational or basic at the base to the more complex and specialized at the top. The arrangement typically emphasizes the interconnections between different fields and how they build upon one another.
Forming gas is a gas mixture that primarily consists of hydrogen and nitrogen, typically composed of about 95% hydrogen and 5% nitrogen. It is often used in various industrial applications, particularly in metalworking and welding processes. The main purposes of forming gas include: 1. **Reducing Agent**: Forming gas can serve as a reducing agent in reactions where metals are produced or processed, helping to prevent oxidation and improve the quality of the final product.
Artillery museums are specialized institutions or exhibits dedicated to the history, development, and operation of artillery—the branch of military service responsible for using large-caliber guns, missile systems, and associated ammunition for land, naval, or aerial warfare. These museums often showcase various types of artillery pieces, including cannons, howitzers, mortars, rocket systems, and modern artillery technologies.
Historiography of science is the study of how the history of science has been written and understood over time. It involves analyzing the methodologies, interpretations, and narratives that historians have used to describe the development of scientific ideas, practices, institutions, and technologies. This field encompasses various aspects, including: 1. **Historical Interpretation**: Examining how different historians have interpreted key events, figures, and transformations in the history of science.
Hitchens's Razor is a philosophical principle articulated by the British-American writer and critic Christopher Hitchens. It states that "what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence." This means that if someone makes a claim without providing sufficient evidence to support it, others are justified in dismissing that claim without needing to provide counter-evidence. Hitchens's Razor emphasizes the importance of evidence in debates and discussions, particularly regarding assertions about gods, the supernatural, or any extraordinary claims.
Humeanism is a philosophical position derived from the ideas of the Scottish philosopher David Hume. Although there isn't a single, universally accepted definition, Humeanism generally refers to views that emphasize empirical evidence and human experience in understanding knowledge, ethics, and human behavior.
Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project
Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
Intro to OurBigBook
. Source. We have two killer features:
- topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculusArticles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
- a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
- a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.Figure 1. Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page. View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivativeVideo 2. OurBigBook Web topics demo. Source. - local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
- to OurBigBook.com to get awesome multi-user features like topics and likes
- as HTML files to a static website, which you can host yourself for free on many external providers like GitHub Pages, and remain in full control
Figure 2. You can publish local OurBigBook lightweight markup files to either OurBigBook.com or as a static website.Figure 3. Visual Studio Code extension installation.Figure 5. . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally. Video 3. Edit locally and publish demo. Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension. - Infinitely deep tables of contents:
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact