hypothetico-deductive

/ ˌhaɪpəˈθɛtɪkəʊdɪˈdʌktɪv /

adjective

1. pertaining to or governed by the supposed method of scientific progress whereby a general hypothesis is tested by deducing predictions that may be experimentally tested. When such a prediction is falsified the theory is rejected and a new hypothesis is required

Example Sentences

In the 20th century, the so-called logical positivists focused on the hypothetico-deductive model of science, because they see it as a logical structure which helps to explain the success of scientific work — you have a hypothesis, you deduce the consequences and then you see if those consequences are true.

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Popper said this doesn't make any sense, because if you look at the hypothetico-deductive model, logically it's wrong because a theory can predict an outcome and that outcome can come true, and yet that theory might still be incorrect.

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A related philosophy is the hypothetico-deductive approach to the scientific method in which one formulates hypotheses and tests them.

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