Table 1.

K theory’s answers to meta-scientific questions.

question	formula	interpretation	section
How much knowledge is contained in a theoretical system?	K = h	Logico-deductive knowledge is a lossless compression of noise-free systems. Its value is inversely related to complexity and directly related to the extent of domain of application.	3.1
How much knowledge is contained in an empirical system?	K = k × h	Empirical knowledge is lossy compression. It is encoded in a theory/methodology whose predictions have a non-zero error. It follows that Kempirical < Ktheoretical.	3.2
How much progress is a field making?	$m\mathrm{\Delta }X+\mathrm{\Delta }\tau <nY\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }k}{K}$	Progress occurs to the extent that explanandum and/or explanatory power expand more than the explanans. This is the essence of consilience.	3.3
How reproducible is a research finding?	$K_r=K{A}^{-\lambda \lambda \cdot dd}$	The ratio between the K of a study and its replication Kr is an exponentially declining function of the distance between their systems and/or methodologies.	3.4
What is the value of a null or negative result?	$K_{\mathrm{null}}\le \frac{h}{Y}\log \frac{|\mathcal{T}|}{|\mathcal{T}|-1}$	The knowledge yielded by a single conclusive negative result is an exponentially declining function of the total number of hypotheses (theories, methods, explanations or outcomes) $|\mathcal{T}|$ that remain untested.	3.5
What is the cost of research fabrication, falsification, bias and QRP?	$K_{\mathrm{corr}}=K-\frac{h_u}{h_b}B$	The K corrected for a questioned methodology is inversely proportional to the methodology’s relative description length times the bias it generates (B).	3.6
When is a field a pseudoscience?	$K<\frac{h_u}{h_b}B$	A pseudoscience results from a hyper-biased theory/methodology that produces net negative knowledge. Conversely, a science has $K>B\frac{h_u}{h_b}$.	3.7
What makes a science ‘soft’?	$\frac{k_H}{k_S}>\frac{h_S}{h_H}$	Compared to a harder science (H), a softer science (S) yields relatively lower knowledge at the cost of relatively more complex theories and methods.	3.8