I'm not understanding why an *explanation* would be ambiguous? If I
have a process / function that consistently transforms x into y, then
doesn't the process serve as a non-ambiguous explanation of how y came
into being? (presuming this is the thing to be explained.)
If I offer a theory and it doesn't seem "right" then we disagree. This
could be because my theory is wrong or that I am not understood. My
goal in explaining is to illustrate the steps, process, or combination
of functions that will lead to the result I explain. Each transforming
step in the process should not be ambiguous if I am offering an
explanation - or a good explanation or proof.
Personally, I thought a "listeners" ability to follow my steps would be
a good test to see if I was understood. By the way, if I am understood
it doesn't mean there is agreement, but once understood, we will know
more about why the listener doesn't think I'm right.
If the thing to be understood is an algorithm, would an illustration /
explanation of how each step contributes serve as evidence of
understanding? For me it would.
Did I miss the point?
As to prediction -
As a side note, the ability to predict a systems behavior wouldn't
require that the system be understood. Think of a Rube Goldberg device
(or look at one on You Tube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtVkzgKObv0#
- it may start with one simple motion and result in a thousand other
effects which always follow. If we looked at any one effect, we would
easily predict that it "happens" because it always happens when the
device is triggered. We wouldn't need to "understand" the entire
process to correctly predict.
Russell Wallace wrote:
On Sat, May 10, 2008 at 1:14 AM, Stan Nilsen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
A test of understanding is if one can give a correct *explanation* for any
and all of the possible outputs that it (the thing to understand) produces.
Unfortunately, "explanation" is just as ambiguous a word as
"understanding", so while the above may be true, it isn't necessarily
very helpful :P
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