How long can a scientist's imagination go before a theory has to be thrown out?

Question

Is there a limit or a line that can't be crossed or can a scientist simply not be allowed to imagine to make a scientific theory such as, you know....

Answer 1

Theories are accompanied by a proof to be accepted.

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Answer 2

Any scientific theory that makes a prediction that is reproducibly falsified is *wrong.* Any theory that does not make testable predictions is not science. It is at best an exercise in mathematics (that is not an empirical endeavor).

Content is irrelevant. A theory must arise from a minimum number of validated postulates, it must be internally self-consistent, it must be predictive, and it must survive all attempts at falsification without exception. A useful but falsified theory, e.g., Newton vs. relativity, is demoted to being a heuristic.

(physical reality) - (empirical reality) = faith

Faith is destroyed if it works. If you have faith you can only be denied. Test of faith! What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.

Answer 3

The only line you can't cross is experiment. Who on Earh (besides crazy religious fundamentalists) would ever want to stifle the theoretical imagination? Imagine, create, theorize to your heart's content... but if you make a wrong prediction, it's the rubbish bin and start again.

Answer 4

I assume a scientist imagination will continue until all the variables have been exhausted for the postulates he or she proposed for his imaginary theory.

Answer 5

if they can;t find proof, or there is another threry proving them worng, then they must start from scratch.