# Endless possibilities

1. Dec 4, 2007

### wolram

If one takes a theory as a set ,there seems to be many sub sets that make that theory, and even sub set of sub sets, has any one ever worked out the possible permutations that will keep a theory alive?

2. Dec 4, 2007

### Kurdt

Staff Emeritus
I'm not sure what you're proposing here Wolram. Are you saying that if we take the principles and postulates of a theory as a set, then the subsets would be useful in determining how good that theory was. For example if we have whatever theory as $A = \{x,y,z\}$ for postulates x, y and z and x & y were verified experimentally but z was disproved then we could examine the parts of that theory which contained as x and y as elements and throw away the bits with z in. This would then help the theory evolve rather than throwing the whole lot out?

Or am I off.

Last edited: Dec 4, 2007
3. Dec 4, 2007

### wolram

Rather part z can be ambiguous, if for instance the WIMP is not found there are many candidates to take its place, so one goes to the next best candidate and if that one can not be found the next etc, etc, so my question is how many candidates are there for dark matter, which is just a sub set of the set, and how many candidates are there for the other sub sets of the set.

4. Dec 4, 2007

### Kurdt

Staff Emeritus
In that case I think this is where marcus or somebody else will have to come in since I have little knowledge in that area rather embarrassingly.

5. Dec 4, 2007

### wolram

Why move this to GD?