Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy,sci.philosophy.meta,sci.philosophy.tech,sci.psychology,soc.history.science
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!rochester!udel!gatech!usenet.ufl.edu!draco.nova.edu!alpha!grohol
From: William Brewer <wbrewer@s.psych.uiuc.edu>
Subject: Scientific Theories and Memory
Message-ID: <D5vHDu.4Lx@draco.nova.edu>
Originator: grohol@alpha
Sender: news@draco.nova.edu (Usenet Administrator)
Organization: Nova Southeastern University
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 02:53:53 GMT
Approved: grohol@alpha.acast.nova.edu
Lines: 21
Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.ai.philosophy:26191 sci.philosophy.meta:16902 sci.philosophy.tech:17164 sci.psychology:38821


I am looking for references to the role of scientific theories in memory. 

In my graduate student days I recall reading several different
Instrumentalist Philosophers of Science who argued that one of the roles
of scientific theories is to summarize data to reduce the memory load for
the scientist. 

 I am now writing up an experiment on the role of scientific theory in
facilitating memory for facts and need a citation on this point.

Can anyone suggest where I might find such a reference and, even better,
a specific citation. I don't need a recent reference--an old one would be
fine.  I just would like to be able to state that someone has made the
prediction.

-- 
Prof. William F. Brewer,  Dept. Psychology,   U. of Illinois
603 E. Daniel Street, Champaign, IL  61820  USA
phone: (217) 333-1548  fax: (217) 244-5876  email: wbrewer@psych.uiuc.edu
http://www.beckman.uiuc.edu/groups/CS/people/Brewer.html
