Logical verification of scientific discovery

作     者：LI Wei State Key Laboratory of Software Development Environment, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China 

作者机构：State Key Laboratory of Software Development Environment School of Computer Science and Engineering Beihang University 

出 版 物：《Science China(Information Sciences)》 (中国科学:信息科学(英文版))

年 卷 期：2010年第53卷第4期

页      面：677-684页

核心收录：

学科分类：0810[工学-信息与通信工程] 01[哲学] 0101[哲学-哲学] 0808[工学-电气工程] 010108[哲学-科学技术哲学] 0812[工学-计算机科学与技术（可授工学、理学学位）] 

基　　金：supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2005CB321901) the SKLSDE Research Project (Grant No. SKLSDE-2008ZX-01) 

主　　题：R-calculus theory of relativity theory of evolution 

摘      要：This paper shows that the discovery processes of Einstein’s special theory of relativity and Darwin’s theory of evolution of species can be formally verified by R-calculus which is a logical inference system. The aim of R-calculus is to delete the principles of scientific theories which contradict empirical evidence. The paper shows that the special theory of relativity is the only and correct choice for physics to meet the experimental evidence given at the time. As far as the biology of Darwin’s time is concerned, however, the R-calculus has derived three logically correct but different theories, which are all consistent with the empirical evidence provided by Darwin and his principle of natural selection. Darwin’s theory of evolution matches one of the three theories derived by R-calculus. This theory has a logical consequence that is each species has been independently created is erroneous. But the other two theories support the negation of the above statement. The existence of the other two theories may be a reason of the controversies over Darwin’s theory.