The issue of whether some idea is settled or not usually pops up during the hearings for a supreme court nominee re opinions about abortions.The nominee is likely to concur that Roe versus Wade is settled law.Contrary to the physical and biological sciences where tenets are usually settled,psychology can be on shaky grounds if it tries to established definitive rules and principles of behavior.There seems to be constant paradigm shift and what we seem to have are differing interpratations of behavioral events.For examples,issues like what is the "stimulus" or what exactly is "learned" may be understood in psychspeak,but they are not definitive as say in Physics or mechanics. I can recall reading J.J Gibson "The senses considered as perceptual systems" and differences were made between the "proximal" and "distal" stimulus.It is still debatable what exactly takes place when we "learn". The other sciences however seem to deal with straight facts,Ironically,critical thinking skills which are hailed in Tipsville may be an indication that psychology is not settled science.Real scientists want to know what "is".
Michael "omnicentric" Sylvester,PhD Daytona Beach,Florida. --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu)
