Abstract
Innovation in hypotheses is a key transformative driver for scientific development. The conventional centralized hypothesis formulation approach, where a dominant hypothesis is typically derived from a primary phenomenon, can, inevitably, impose restriction on the range of conceivable experiments and legitimate hypotheses, and ultimately impede understanding of the system of interest. We report herein the proposal of a decentralized approach for the formulation of hypotheses, through initial preconception-free phenomenon accumulation and subsequent reticular logical reasoning processes. The two-step approach can provide an unbiased, panoramic view of the system and as such should enable the generation of a set of more coherent and therefore plausible hypotheses. As a proof-of-concept demonstration of the utility of this open-ended approach, a hierarchical model has been developed for a prion self-assembled system, allowing insight into hitherto elusive static and dynamic features associated with this intriguing structure.
Highlights
Innovation in hypotheses is a key transformative driver for scientific development
We report the proposal of a decentralized approach for the formulation of hypotheses, through initial preconception-free phenomenon accumulation and subsequent reticular logical reasoning processes
Through this decentralized approach, we wish to report the proposal of a hierarchical structural model for a prion self-assembled system
Summary
Innovation in hypotheses is a key transformative driver for scientific development. The conventional centralized hypothesis formulation approach, where a dominant hypothesis is typically derived from a primary phenomenon, can, inevitably, impose restriction on the range of conceivable experiments and legitimate hypotheses, and impede understanding of the system of interest. The ultimate goal of any scientific endeavor is to elucidate the working principle of a system and use that understanding to benefit mankind To this end, a centralized method (Fig. 1)[1], which utilizes a primary phenomenon to derive a dominant hypothesis for a local aspect of the system, prevails in the scientific community. We believe that a more constructive hypothesis formulation method should be locally focused yet sufficiently decentralized (accumulation of a broad suite of primary phenomena without preconception of any kind, compatible with or in contradiction to the currently accepted scientific principles) (Fig. 1) This open-ended, decentralized approach can provide a more panoramic view of the target aspect of the system, and the reticular network of phenomena should enable the formulation of a set of more coherent and plausible hypotheses. The system can be rationalized, if desired, by seamless overlapping of consistent hypotheses for different regional aspects of the system, which can be likened to the description of a mathematical manifold using the chart-atlas structure[5]
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