In one of the letters written to the Infeld group in Warsaw Einstein wrote:
"A new manner of thinking is essential if humankind is to survive."

REMINDER OF A FEW TERMS FROM THE GLOSSARY.

#space (prefix "#"): Abstract concept synonymous with that of Set.

Phenomenon: Concrete or virtual Observation.

Phenomenon #space (PS): Set of Phenomena. It encompasses:
1. space, or 3D Euclidian #space,
2.1D time #space.

Model #space (MS): A particular subset of #space which endeavours to map, to order and to coordinate Phenomena of PS into consistent and coherent structures.

Event: Elementary Phenomenon which may be mapped to a point of MS. We will say that "event" of PS maps into "#event" of MS and that "phenomenon" of PS maps into "#phenomenon" or a structure of #events in MS

Theory, or Model: A particular MS.

NOTE 1: PS is unique per observer and Theory independent.

NOTE 2: Virtual Observations are "mental experiments" conceived in MS. They are the rockbed of scientific creativity and verification and, more generally, of any planned and purposeful human activity.

NOTE 3: Observations, whether concrete or virtual may be direct, i. e. perceived via observer's senses, or indirect, noted as output of technical devices. Design of such experimental devices falls into the field of virtual observations and is one of fundamental activities of science. ========================================================================= MODEL #SPACE (MS) AND PHENOMENON #SPACE (PS)

Any scientific (or, indeed, rational) theory consists of Model #space (MS) and Phenomenon #space (PS).

In particular contexts (for instance logic oriented) PS may be called Factual #space and observations - Facts.

MS is an abstract structure.

A common error consists in confusing PS with MS by saying, for instance, that Special Relativity postulates events to happen in Minkowski's 4 dimensional #space (space-lighttime). Events happen in PS which is theory independent and are mapped to Minkowski's #space MS. A theory, a model such as Special Relativity associates PS with a particular MS
(for instance Minkowski's #space), this association meaning that events of PS are expected to comply with abstract patterns of MS (for instance Lorentz contraction).

A rational theory has to be falsifiable. When events of PS do not comply with patterns of theory's MS, the theory is abandoned and replaced by a more pertinent one. That was the case of geocentric astronomy replaced by the heliocentric or of the Aether theory replaced by the Special Relativity.
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