Splendour and Misery of Theoretical Psychology: Empirical Validity of Scientific Facts

Abstract

The author denies that either a search for empirical proof of theoretical statements or relations between fact and theory are main problems of contemporary psychology. He believes that our main concern should be with the criteria of validity of empirical facts. Psychological fact is a product of empirical and statistical generalisations, the validity of which should be considered at the first place. The author believes that Russian psychology is not sufficiently sensitive to incorrect generalisations. As a result, empirical facts are not taken for an argument, and any theoretical discussion becomes meaningless.