Table 2.

The agential virtues

Agential virtues	Reflect a theory’s ability to facilitate its use by agents and their context in a societally embedded scientific system. Heuristics for a theory’s problem coverage based on the relationship between the theory and potential problem-having agents
	Definition
Agent appropriateness	T fits the capacities of its intended theory-using agents
Communal facilitation	T supports the health and efficacy of its research community
External alignment	T aligns with societal benefit