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From: rjf@eagle.ukc.ac.uk (Robin Faichney)
Newsgroups: sci.philosophy.tech
Subject: Re: I am still alive - Biep.
Message-ID: <3444@eagle.ukc.ac.uk>
Date: Wed, 28-Oct-87 11:16:25 EST
Article-I.D.: eagle.3444
Posted: Wed Oct 28 11:16:25 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 31-Oct-87 13:56:23 EST
References: <931@klipper.cs.vu.nl>
Reply-To: rjf@ukc.ac.uk (Robin Faichney)
Organization: Computing Lab, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK.
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In article <931@klipper.cs.vu.nl> biep@cs.vu.nl (J. A. "Biep" Durieux) writes:
>[..]
>BTW, It seems that at the moment I left the discussion, it died. I others
>want to continue it, pleas try to give your definition of "methodology".
>Many have said mine was incorrect, but none offered an alternative.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary:

	methodology n. Science of method; body of methods used
	in a particular branch of activity;..

I had decided, apparently like many others, to give up on this, but was stung
into reaction, because I sent this definition to Biep many weeks ago, and if
I remember correctly he commented on other things in the same message, so
must have gotten it. Also, of course, others were saying much the same at that
time.

We seem to be agreed that `science of method' is one meaning. But `body of
methods..' is *MUCH* weaker than Biep seems to be happy with. I can't even
remember now what the implications of this are, for anything else Biep says,
but I couldn't let this go past. Also, Biep, you posted an impressive list
of things you thought were implied by the word, and asked for suggestions
for specific changes, from anyone who disagreed. But where we are saying
that your definition is too narrow, our only response must be general: your
list is too restrictive, and any list which was adequate would probably
take a life's work to produce.

So now, Biep, the ball is in your court: what is wrong with the OED definition?

Robin     rjf@ukc.ac.uk