Sublime

The hypothesis must be explored as a hypothesis. Its vindication will come, like that of all hypotheses, in its inclusion of the data without distortion; in its essential simplicity of…

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The central insight of Karl Popper, the great philosopher of science, is that science is not a collection of verifiable propositions; rather, it is a set of theories that, at best, can be wholly falsified.

Science is itself an exercise in prediction. We advance our knowledge of the world through a process of hypothesis and testing.

Theory, then, is a conspiracy theory with no conspirators in particular.

“Xeno-archaeology is even worse. We craft the best stories we can, on the evidence that has survived, and proclaim those stories the truth.”

hypothesis testing is the hallmark of scientific experimentation. To challenge the status quo, assume it to be true in a null hypothesis. If enough evidence (data) shows the null assumption is unlikely, reject it in favor of new knowledge in the alternative hypothesis.