The Collaborative International Dictionary
trial and error \tri"al and er"ror\ The method of discovering something desirable by trying many different things until one works; as, the traditional method of finding new drugs is by trial and error.
And millions miss for one that hits.
--Swift.
Wiktionary
n. The process of finding a solution to a problem by trying many possible solutions and learning from mistakes until a way is found.
WordNet
n. experimenting until a solution is found
Wikipedia
Trial and error is a fundamental method of solving problems. It is characterised by repeated, varied attempts which are continued until success, or until the agent stops trying.
According to W.H. Thorpe, the term was devised by C. Lloyd Morgan after trying out similar phrases "trial and failure" and "trial and practice". Under Morgan's Canon, animal behaviour should be explained in the simplest possible way. Where behaviour seems to imply higher mental processes, it might be explained by trial-and-error learning. An example is the skillful way in which his terrier Tony opened the garden gate, easily misunderstood as an insightful act by someone seeing the final behaviour. Lloyd Morgan, however, had watched and recorded the series of approximations by which the dog had gradually learned the response, and could demonstrate that no insight was required to explain it.
Edward Thorndike showed how to manage a trial-and-error experiment in the laboratory. In his famous experiment, a cat was placed in a series of puzzle boxes in order to study the law of effect in learning. He plotted learning curves which recorded the timing for each trial. Thorndike's key observation was that learning was promoted by positive results, which was later refined and extended by B.F. Skinner's operant conditioning.
Trial and error is also a heuristic method of problem solving, repair, tuning, or obtaining knowledge. In the field of computer science, the method is called generate and test. In elementary algebra, when solving equations, it is "guess and check".
This approach can be seen as one of the two basic approaches to problem solving, contrasted with an approach using insight and theory. However, there are intermediate methods which for example, use theory to guide the method, an approach known as guided empiricism.
Trial and Error is Jack Woodford's book on writing and the publishing industry. The book focuses on writing and editing and describes the behind-the-scenes machinations that result in the final publication of writing.
The book was instrumental in the writing careers of Ray Bradbury, Robert A. Heinlein, Jerry Pournelle, Piers Anthony, and Richard A. Lupoff. The Notebooks of Raymond Chandler contain a paraphrased excerpt from Trial and Error that Chandler wrote from memory, entitled "Jack Woodford's Rules for Writing a Novel."
The introduction was written by the founder of Esquire magazine Arnold Gingrich.
Category:1933 books Category:Books about publishing Category:American non-fiction books
Trial and Error is a 1997 American romantic comedy film about an attorney and his friendly actor, who takes his place in court to defend the boss's hopelessly guilty relative. It stars Michael Richards, Jeff Daniels and Charlize Theron.
Trial and error is a general method of problem solving.
Trial and error may also refer to:
- Trial and Error (book), a 1933 book on writing and the publishing industry by Jack Woodford
- Trial and Error, a 1937 mystery novel by Anthony Berkeley
- Trial and Error (album), a 2009 album by singer/songwriter Nathan Stickman
- Trial and Error (1962 film), a British comedy film starring Peter Sellers
- Trial & Error (1993 film), a TV movie starring Tim Matheson
- Trial and Error (1997 film), an American film starring Jeff Daniels
- Trial and Error (TV series), an American sitcom that aired on CBS in 1988
- Trial & Error (album), an album by the rapper Classified
- Trial & Error (TV series), an upcoming American sitcom to be aired on NBC in the 2016-17 season
- Trials & Errors, a 2005 live album by the Magnolia Electric Co
- Trial & Error Records, an Australian record label
- "Trial and Error", a song from Absolute Design by Engel
- "Trial and Error", a song from White Darkness by Nightingale
Trial and Error is Stickman’s fifth studio album . It is also his first self produced release and recording as a rock trio.
Trial and Error is an American sitcom that was broadcast from March 15 to March 29, 1988. Three of the eight episodes were shown.
Usage examples of "trial and error".
By trial and error he had found a way to stand, one foot far forward, one braced against the edge of the wooden tray.
The Bedfordshire, fourth ship from the van, was sagging out of line again, as she had done ever since, by trial and error, they had picked on their present formation.
All of that knowledge is acquired by observation and by trial and error.
Michelangelo learned by trial and error, leaning heavily on his years of watching the Carrarini work the blocks, trying to absorb generations of skill in a few months.
Through trial and error, he found the clutch and shifted smoothly into first gear.
If worse came to worst we could resort to rock chipping - and of course it would be possible, even in case of really lost direction, to work up to full daylight by one channel or another if granted sufficient time for plentiful trial and error.
After much trial and error, she and Talaysen had worked out the counter to the magic of the talisman.