Why Test a Theory?

 More precisely, what are the potential consequences of applying old  theories to new situations without testing them first? The easiest answer is that most of the time, we don’t know it’s a new situation and/or an old theory until it fails. Putting that aside, the consequences are many. Keep in mind, though, sometimes testing is impossible as in some economic or cosmological theories. Testing Einstein’s general theory of relativity had to await instrumentality development that could do so.  Here are some other consequences of failure to test or inappropriate use.

1.      It is a sometimes expensive way to find the old theory needs repair. (Aeronautics, encryption, numerical analysis)

2.      Overgeneralization. (Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs)

3.      It can sometimes cause lives or great damage. (Bridge design, large machinery)

4.      It can make inaccurate predictions and consequent decisions. (Ineffective vaccines, medical procedures, legal or military strategies, climate, AI)

5.      It can lead to a lack of or missing knowledge for decades or more. (Astronomy, Newtonian mechanics)

6.      Selectively interpreting evidence to support a particular viewpoint. (Evolution)

7.      Ignoring counter-evidence. (Economics, Modern Monetary Theory)

8.      Misapplication of context. (Freud psychoanalytic theory)

You could think of it as knowledge growing up and learning by mistakes. You could think of it as parenting and the mistakes made because it didn’t work like the handbook said. You could think of it as normal research and the discovery of new knowledge. Testing or using ideas and theories beyond their scope, for good or bad, is our way of life, and the pathway to new knowledge.

Concomitant with non testing a theory prior to use is using a theory incorrectly. This implies those responsible must fully understand the theory and its limitations. One common such error is that of violating the assumptions underlying the theory.