[FRIAM] Can empirical discoveries be mathematical?

[Pieter Steenekamp]

Nick,

I quote from https://www.britannica.com/science/scientific-theory
"In attempting to explain objects and events, the scientist employs (1)
careful observation or experiments, (2) reports of regularities, and (3)
systematic explanatory schemes (theories). The statements of regularities,
if accurate, may be taken as empirical laws expressing continuing
relationships among the objects or characteristics observed."

Based on this, I reckon, because you have reported the regularities, you
have discovered an empirical scientific law. Congratulations!

Next is to systematically explain it, then you have a scientific theory!

Maybe I did not answer your question? You asked if this is an empirical
discovery or a mathematical one.

IMO you have done only the first part, the empirical discovery. This could
now be taken further and if you can prove it using formal mathematics, then
only can you claim you have made a mathematical discovery. So, it is (not
yet) a mathematical discovery. Sorry to blow your bubble.

P

On Fri, 3 Sept 2021 at 17:24, <thompnickson2 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Colleagues,
>
>
>
> Years ago, my daughter, who knows I hate to shop, bought me a bunch of
> plain T-shirts.  The label’s on the shirts were printed, rather than
> attached, and so have faded.  Each morning, this leaves me with the problem
> of decerning which is the front and which the back of the shirt, and even,
> which the inside and which the out-.  After years of fussing with these
> shirts I decerned a pattern.  Up/down, inside-in/inside-out, left/right,
> front/back, crossed arms/uncrossed arms, you can’t do one transformation
> without doing at least one other.
>
>
>
> Is this an empirical discovery or a mathematical one?
>
>
>
> I guess it boils down to whether “front/back” entails in its meaning
> another transformation.   Should we call empirical discoveries
> “discoveries” and mathematical discoveries “revelations”?
>
>
>
> Nick
>
>
>
> Nick Thompson
>
> ThompNickSon2 at gmail.com
>
> https://wordpress.clarku.edu/nthompson/
>
>
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