Hierarchy/Hierarchies of Scientific Knowledge

In the thread on emergent properties, the words 'hierarchy' and 'hierarchical' have come up. This seems to suggest something that comes before or after, below, higher or above, primary, secondary, etc. Could folks at ASA help by describing/explaining what kind of hierarchy or hierarchies are said to exist in scientific knowledge?
   
  I found the paragraph by Keith Miller below and also Randy's opening post quite fascinating.
   
  Kind Regards,
   
  Greg
   
   
  "For me one of the fundamental perspectives is that an internally
complete description of a system at one level does not in any way
deny the validity of another different and non-contradictory
description at another level. There can be several internally
complete levels of description within the broad umbrella of science.
At a yet higher level, the whole hierarchy of scientific descriptions
become one type of understanding of reality that can be (at least
theoretically) complete, but yet cannot exclude the existence of
another equally valid, equally true, and non-conflicting understanding." - Keith Miller

                
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Received on Sat May 6 21:12:09 2006