Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
29
The development of the
duplicity theory as a test of
Popper's and Kuhn's models
It is apparent that neither of these models it well with our description
of the development of the duplicity theory. As regards Popper's
model, none of the classical theories of Newton, Young, Schultze,
Kühne and Hering was triggered by an attempt to falsify or refute
current hypotheses or theories. Newton's starting point was the
rectangular form of the prismatic solar spectrum he observed when
he looked at its beautiful colours; Young based his theory on the old
and well-known fact that three pigments were sufficient to produce
every object colour; Schultze reflected on the fact that nocturnal and
diurnal animals tended to have rod- and cone-dominated retinas,
respectively, and that colours were absent in night vision; Kühne's
theory was instigated by the great discovery of Boll that rhodopsin
bleached in light and regenerated in the dark; and Hering was spurred
on by Mach's psychophysical maxim. Thus, there is little evidence
of long, fruitful falsification periods ending with falsification of the
most successful hypothesis and the development of a new, better one
triggered by this last falsification.
It is evident that Maxwell (
1855
,
1860
) provided conclu-
sive evidence in support of Young's trichromatic colour theory by
demonstrating that three standard spectral lights were sufficient to
produce all spectral colours, but his experiments represented a
confir-
mation
of an already existing theory and not a falsification. It should
also be noted that Young's theory was immediately accepted by the
relevant scientific community without much debate following the
discoveries of Maxwell.
Interestingly, the spectro-photometric measurements of
Marks
et al
. (
1964
) and Brown & Wald (
1964
) that demonstrated the
