Hypotheses (Continued)

In the last module, you learned that a hypothesis can either be confirmed (affirming the consequent) or falsified. In this module you will learn how it can be falsified (proven false).

How can it be falsified?

Let's suppose that you're doing a scientific experiment. If you do the experiment right, you should get certain results (observations). But you don't get the expected observations. That argument looks like this:

This argument shows that you didn't get the expected observations, so the hypothesis must be wrong. That is the form modus tollens, which is a valid argument form.

That means your conclusion is certain. The hypothesis is falsified.

It is very important to know that hypotheses end up being one of two argument forms: Affirming the consequent (invalid) when confirmed and modus tollens (valid) when falsified.

Note: If you are still confused about these argument forms, you must review the sections on deduction, induction, and the argument forms - Modus Ponens and Modus Tollens. Do not proceed until you are absolutely clear on how they work.

Continue for more on hypotheses.