On the Identity of Problem Domain

Abstract

By analyzing some thoughts and viewpoints of scientific philosophers such as Popper, Lakatos, Kuhn, and Laudan, this paper thinks that abstract theory and concrete theory constitute the problem domain. Abstract theory evaluates the legitimacy of the problem, and concrete theory evaluates the difficulty degree of the problem. The comparison of the legal degree of the problem and the difficulty of the problem is only possible in the same problem domain. Popper believes that the problem domain is the same in practice. Lakatos, Kuhn, and Laudan do not fully agree with Popper’s views and give their solutions. Laudan’s scheme is relatively reasonable.