Abstract
The vagueness of the term “science” is a perpetual source of confusion. Its meaning encompasses the traditional empirical, experimental, and formal academic disciplines, e.g. physics or mathmatics, as well as most diverse activities which “scientists”, who coopt each other, call “scientific”. In order to discuss theoretical problems of social theory, the notion of science must first be made explicit. Following a proposal by Humberto R. Maturana (1978a) I define as “scientific” any activity that obeys the scientific method. The scientific method involves roughly four steps. These are:
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“1.
Observation of a phenomenon that henceforth is taken as a problem to be explained.
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2.
Proposition of an explanatory hypothesis in the form of a deterministic system that can generate a phenomenon isomorphic with the observed one.
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3.
Proposition of a computed state or process in the system specified by the hypothesis as a predicted phenomenon to be observed.
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4.
Observation of the predicted phenomenon.” (ibid. 27)
This is a completely rewritten version of my original contribution to the research meeting. It takes into account some of the results of the critical discussion of what I presented and incorporates new ideas. I want to express my gratitude to the organizers of the research meeting in St. Gall. The particular combination of efficiency and friendliness made the meeting an outstanding event.
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Hejl, P.M. (1984). Towards a Theory of Social Systems: Self-Organization and Self-Maintenance, Self-Reference and Syn-Reference. In: Ulrich, H., Probst, G.J.B. (eds) Self-Organization and Management of Social Systems. Springer Series in Synergetics, vol 26. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69762-3_5
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