(March 30, 2021 at 3:20 pm)John 6IX Breezy Wrote:(March 30, 2021 at 1:09 pm)Angrboda Wrote: The role of a theory is to explain the evidence.
Right, theories are explanations of things. And explanations either give a causal account for phenomena, or a unification of them. All swans are X isn't a causal account for anything, or a unification of anything, it's simply a description of what all swans are. Such descriptions might instead fall under the category of laws. Consider the structural similarity between your phrase, and the first law of behavioral genetics: All human behavioral traits are heritable.
I agree with you about Swans. I'm not sure that is similar to All human behavioral traits are heritable.
The statement about Swans is simply a categorization. The statement about behavioral genetics is testable. It may be considered a law or axiom that is used as part of a more complex theory, but it can stand alone as a theory.
I'm not sure it even correct, depending on the meaning of the word "heritable". If it includes genetics, epigenetics, and the effect of societal ideas, it may be correct.
