The Wave Nature of the Universe. Physics Exists Before Theory
Newton described gravity in 1687 and Huygens wave light in 1690, but phenomena preceded them. Equation precision does not prove the underlying mechanism.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
A theory can predict with great accuracy without revealing the physical mechanism producing the phenomenon. Nature does not need our mathematics to function; we only need them to describe it.
## The Phenomenon Exists Before the Equation
Masses attracted each other before **Isaac Newton** published his laws in **1687**. Waves interfered before **Christiaan Huygens** formulated his wave theory of light in **1690**. Atoms were stable before **Niels Bohr** and **Erwin Schrödinger** described them. None of this waited for human permission to occur.
This obvious fact has consequences. Nature does not need our theories to exist; we are the ones who need theories to order it. The distinction between the physical phenomenon and its intellectual representation is not a philosophical nuance: it is the basis of any serious discussion about what it means for science to "explain" something.
## Describing Precisely Is Not Explaining the Mechanism
An equation can predict a system's behavior with great accuracy without identifying the physical cause that produces it. Newton's law of gravitation is the classic example. The force between two masses is expressed by a simple mathematical relationship, and its predictive capacity was extraordinary for centuries.
However, that same law does not say what gravity is or why it acts. It describes how. The accuracy of a formula measures its descriptive and predictive capacity, not whether its interpretation represents the underlying causal reality. Confusing the two is a common and costly error.
## The Lesson for Those Reading Economic Data
The same criterion applies outside physics. An economic model can fit historical series precisely and fail to explain why people decide what they decide. Correlation between two variables does not identify the mechanism connecting them. A good statistical fit is not proof of causality.
It is worth remembering when someone presents an equation as if it were reality. Nature, and economics, continue to function even if the model is wrong.
## The Phenomenon Exists Before the Equation
Masses attracted each other before **Isaac Newton** published his laws in **1687**. Waves interfered before **Christiaan Huygens** formulated his wave theory of light in **1690**. Atoms were stable before **Niels Bohr** and **Erwin Schrödinger** described them. None of this waited for human permission to occur.
This obvious fact has consequences. Nature does not need our theories to exist; we are the ones who need theories to order it. The distinction between the physical phenomenon and its intellectual representation is not a philosophical nuance: it is the basis of any serious discussion about what it means for science to "explain" something.
## Describing Precisely Is Not Explaining the Mechanism
An equation can predict a system's behavior with great accuracy without identifying the physical cause that produces it. Newton's law of gravitation is the classic example. The force between two masses is expressed by a simple mathematical relationship, and its predictive capacity was extraordinary for centuries.
However, that same law does not say what gravity is or why it acts. It describes how. The accuracy of a formula measures its descriptive and predictive capacity, not whether its interpretation represents the underlying causal reality. Confusing the two is a common and costly error.
## The Lesson for Those Reading Economic Data
The same criterion applies outside physics. An economic model can fit historical series precisely and fail to explain why people decide what they decide. Correlation between two variables does not identify the mechanism connecting them. A good statistical fit is not proof of causality.
It is worth remembering when someone presents an equation as if it were reality. Nature, and economics, continue to function even if the model is wrong.
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (9 replies).
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