“Maier’s Law”, 1960 (; backlinks):
[cf. Parkinson’s law] Maier’s Law states: “if facts do not conform to the theory, they must be disposed of.” With Maier’s law “the theory supersedes the fact. It is the fact that must conform; and it is the theory that we must strive to nurture, develop, and abstract…
The method of how psychologists as scientists dispose of facts is of special interest. One of the most common is to give the facts a new name. In this way they are given a special compartment and therefore cease to infringe on the privacy of the theory…Giving disturbing facts a name is almost as good as explaining them because a name supplies a useful answer to inquisitive people.” [cf. jingle-jangle fallacies]
Other ways of disposing of facts are omitting them in reference books, and “the most efficient method… that of failing to report them…”.
Perhaps rats should be taught the theory they are to follow…Any theory that cannot be quantified is inadequate, even if it works.
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