The holistic thesis developed by Pierre Duhem challenges the idea
that our evidence can conclusively falsify a theory. Given that no
scientific theory is tested in isolation, a negative experiment can
always be attributed to components other than the theory we test -
to the auxiliary hypotheses and background assumptions. How do
scientists decide whether the experimental result undermines the
theory or points at an error in the underlying assumptions? Duhem
argues that we cannot offer a rule that directs when the scientist
should employ a radical or conservative strategy in light of a
negative result, and ultimately they will appeal to their
intuition. More recently philosophers have offered a number of
strategies of how to locate error and justify the abandonment of a
theory or an auxiliary hypothesis. This Element analyses Duhem's
response to holism and subsequent accounts of how the problem can
be resolved.
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