Which of the following is not a characteristic of a sound theory?
2024
Which of the following is not a characteristic of a sound theory?
Answer: B. A theory must not conform to the previously established body of knowledge or validated theories — ConceptA sound theory gives a clear, logically coherent account of a phenomenon. Its concepts and relationships should be stated precisely so that its claims…
- A.
A theory must be stated in simple and precise terms
- B.
A theory must not conform to the previously established body of knowledge or validated theories
- C.
It must provide means for its own interpretation and verification
- D.
It must guide new discoveries and identify areas that need investigation
Attempted by 3 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept
A sound theory gives a clear, logically coherent account of a phenomenon. Its concepts and relationships should be stated precisely so that its claims can be interpreted and examined.
It should remain consistent with established knowledge unless strong evidence justifies revision, and it should be testable and fruitful enough to guide further inquiry.
Application
The statement that a theory must not conform to established knowledge or validated theories makes nonconformity a requirement. That reverses the usual criterion: a new theory may revise prior knowledge when evidence demands it, but deliberate inconsistency is not a quality standard.
Contrast and cross-check
Simple and precise wording supports clarity and reduces ambiguity.
Required nonconformity would reject coherence with established knowledge even when no contrary evidence exists.
Interpretability and verifiability make theoretical claims open to examination.
Guiding discoveries and identifying research gaps shows the heuristic value of a theory.
The other statements describe clarity, testability and fruitfulness, whereas required nonconformity describes none of these accepted criteria.
Result
Therefore, the statement that a theory must not conform to established knowledge or validated theories is not a characteristic of a sound theory.