Hypotheses

Question 1

Explain Popper’s falsificationism

Answer 1

The falsificationist…

1) Conjecture falsifiable hypotheses
2) Seek to falsify these hypotheses with observable evidence
3) Reject any falsified hypotheses as false
4) Never accept any hypothesis as true - only maintain non-falsified hypotheses as so far not rejected

Question 2

Describe the Hypothetico-deductive method for hypothesis testing

Answer 2

1 Forumlate a hypothesis H
2 Deduce observable consequences (C) from H
3 Test whether C is true or not
4 If C is false, infer that H is false
5 If C is true, increase confidence in H

Question 3

Name criterias for a good hypothesis

Answer 3

• A statement that can be either true or false
• A statement that is not necessarily true or false
• A statement that either has some generality (e.g. “all X in domain D…”), or that is about some unobservable (exclude statements like “this table is red”)
  Quality of a hypothesis: A good hypothesis has more observable consequences that sets it apart from rival hypothesis