Prof. Liqiang Huang, June 2nd, 2026
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87044948142
Title:
The Paradox of Theorizing: How Minimizing Upfront Theory Leads to Stronger Theoretical Understanding
Abstract:
Conventional wisdom holds that strong theoretical understanding requires a strict theory-driven approach: formulate clear hypotheses, design focused experiments, and test precise predictions. I propose the opposite. Drawing on the “paradox of theorizing,” I argue that when the goal is precise and broad theoretical understanding, a stimulus-driven design is actually more effective than a theory-driven one. This insight forms the foundation of the Comprehensive Exploration (CE) approach. Rather than testing specific theories, the CE approach begins with a very large-scale experiment—such as one collecting 30,000 hours of behavioral data—that systematically samples a wide range of stimulus variations. From this rich dataset, it iteratively builds quantitative information-processing models that explain the data as accurately as possible while remaining as simple as possible. The result is cognitive models that are both precise and broad, yet only moderately complex—approaching the predictive power of neural networks while preserving full mechanistic interpretability. By deliberately minimizing upfront theoretical specification, we paradoxically arrive at broader, more precise, and ultimately stronger theoretical understanding.