# Theory can suggest where to dig for new phenomena New phenomena can also come from implications of theory. This process is the starting point of the [[Karl Popper]]Ian approach of science. Bose-Einstein condensates and the Higgs Boson are two examples of theory suggesting where to look for phenomena. Often, new high-end instruments are built to observe phenomena predicted by theory. Particle accelerators etc. In a way, theory suggesting where to look for new phenomena to observe is the ‘central dogma’ of scientific epistemology. This viewpoint was heavily influenced by early 20th century physics and the success of the Manhattan project and then encoded both in the Basic/Applied research distinction by the US government and in culture itself. Especially in physics, the theoreticians look down their noses at the experimentalists. Even in more common culture, we perceive theory as “pure” and experiments as dirty and verging on engineering. [[Research has many orthogonal and non orthogonal classification axes]]. However, if the phenomena works *exactly* like the theory predicts, the observations won’t feed back to theory besides giving 👍. If the observed phenomena isn’t exploited under the current paradigm, theoretical confirmations without any new information to drive new theory is like winning an argument on the internet: technically you won, but you don’t get anything and everybody is a little disappointing. This state of prizeless wins arguably characterizes physics in the early 21st century, to the point that it is a major plot point of [[The Three Body Problem Series]]. The theory-suggested observation needs to have one of two outcomes in order for knowledge to keep moving forward. Either the observation needs to be different than the theoretical prediction, forcing theory updates, or the observation needs to lead to exploitation, which can eventually lead to previously unobservable observations. [[Phenomena-based cycles]]. Neither of these seem to be happening. [[Phenomena-based cycles are stuck]] ### Related * [[Heat cycles for democratization and cutting edge experiments innovation and discovery]] * [[Theory gives you the language to make important subtle distinctions between things]] <!-- #evergreen --> [Web URL for this note](http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/Theory+can+suggest+where+to+dig+for+new+phenomena) [Comment on this note](http://via.hypothes.is/http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/Theory+can+suggest+where+to+dig+for+new+phenomena)