Software Engineering Experimentation What is Knowledge ? © Jeff Offutt, 2008

Knowledge is not Wisdom Where is the wisdom we lost in knowledge ? Where is the knowledge we lost in information ? – T. S. Eliot We can be knowledgeable with other men’s knowledge but we cannot be wise with other men’s wisdom – Motaigne To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe – Marilyn Vos Savant © Jeff Offutt, 2008

Knowledge is Valuable The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty – James Madison, 4th US President They know enough who know how to learn – Henry Adams, American historian and scholar The person who knows how will always have a job The person who knows why will be that person’s boss – Dr. Linwood Rose, President James Madison University © Jeff Offutt, 2008

How do We Get Knowledge? Where do we get knowledge ? How do we separate knowledge from facts ? How do we separate facts from claims ? © Jeff Offutt, 2008

Thoughts from Robert A. Heinlein Expanded Universe Truth = Pravda Pravda was the Soviet’s newspaper It is also the Russian word for truth Marxist / Leninism Truth is whatever is best for the state Democracy Truth is whatever we can get away with, given the checks of the opposition party, free press, and educated citizens - all who want to prove that we are big fat liars © Jeff Offutt, 2008

Truth = Pravda Real Life Truth Collision The little girl who sang “Ode to the Motherland” in the Olympics opening ceremony lip-synched “The reason was for the national interest,” said Chen Qigang, the ceremony's musical director “The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feeling and expression. ... Lin Miaoke is excellent in those aspects.” That is, they had one cute girl and one girl who could sing This is pure capitalist-style marketing ! © Jeff Offutt, 2008

Truth = Pravda Thailand Japan Truthiness Truth is what we want to hear (politeness preempts facts) Japan Truth is what yields the least conflict Truthiness What should be true (Stephen Corbert) Science: All the facts with no distortion © Jeff Offutt, 2008

What About YOU ? What is your background ? What is your preconditioning ? Can you overcome your bad habits to become scientists ? © Jeff Offutt, 2008

The Point of This Class This is not “Chinese vs American” culture This is truth versus fiction, seeing the world as it really is This class will help you to see all the facts with no distortion This actually has very little to do with software engineering © Jeff Offutt, 2008

History of This Class – from J. Offutt I’ve been teaching this class for almost 20 years I’ve seen a lot of changes in software engineering and computing We take experimentation much more seriously Our experiments are much better And published more widely But the essentials have not changed What’s changed is more people understand and use them I published my first experimental paper in 1988 I wouldn’t accept it now—expectations are higher In fact, I would not accept the experimental part of my dissertation from one of you I know more You know more ! © Jeff Offutt, 2008