!"#$%&' )*#+,#+-.

/001+$&' %2+%13)0
4&%).
someLhlng whlch can be demonsLraLed Lo be Lrue



!"#$%#&' !$)*+, )- ./#0*1$ 23#&+#&'
4&%).
someLhlng whlch can be demonsLraLed Lo be Lrue

5001"$2+.
someLhlng LhaL ls held Lo be Lrue, buL whlch has noL
been, or cannoL be, acLually demonsLraLed Lo be Lrue



!"#$%#&' !$)*+, )- ./#0*1$ 23#&+#&'
4&%).
someLhlng whlch can be demonsLraLed Lo be Lrue

5001"$2+.
someLhlng LhaL ls held Lo be Lrue, buL whlch has noL
been, or cannoL be, acLually demonsLraLed Lo be Lrue

63#+#2+.
someLhlng LhaL ls belleved Lo be Lrue by Lhe speaker,
buL whlch may or may noL be shared by oLhers

!"#$%#&' !$)*+, )- ./#0*1$ 23#&+#&'
7*12"8
A Lheory ls our besL auempL Lo explaln someLhlng
ln Lhe naLural world, based on whaL we currenLly
know.
A Lheory ls an 193'&+&$2+"
A Lheory ls an explanauon, :&01; 2+ 2<" %<""1+)
<+;1"0)&+;#+- 2= )*1 +&)<"&' >2"';"
4,,5&01$ .)&*567, #& ./#0*1$ 23#&+#&'
7*12"8
A Lheory ls our besL auempL Lo explaln someLhlng
ln Lhe naLural world, based on whaL we currenLly
know.
A Lheory ls an 193'&+&$2+"
A Lheory ls an explanauon, :&01; 2+ 2<" %<""1+)
<+;1"0)&+;#+- 2= )*1 +&)<"&' >2"';"
4,,5&01$ .)&*567, #& ./#0*1$ 23#&+#&'
A Lheory ls noL xed and unchanglng: lL can conunue
Lo evolve and lmprove, as we dlscover new facLs
abouL Lhe naLural world.
!2?31$+- )*12"#10
1he value and usefulness of a Lheory ls
measured only by how well lL corresponds
wlLh reallLy.
Cen several dlerenL Lheorles may Lry Lo
explaln Lhe same aspecLs of Lhe naLural
world - *)8650&' 735)/#5,
@2 *2> %&+ >1 A<;-1 *2> -22; & )*12"8 #0B
4,,5&01$ .)&*567, #& ./#0*1$ 23#&+#&'
C2> -22; #0 & )*12"8B
1here are Lwo essenual requlremenLs for a vlable Lheory:
A good Lheory ls supporLed by 1D#;1+%1E from
our currenL knowledge of Lhe naLural world
4,,5&01$ .)&*567, #& ./#0*1$ 23#&+#&'
C2> -22; #0 & )*12"8B
1here are Lwo essenual requlremenLs for a vlable Lheory:
A good Lheory ls supporLed by 1D#;1+%1E from
our currenL knowledge of Lhe naLural world
A good Lheory musL make LesLable (falslable")
3"1;#%$2+0F
A *832)*10#0 ls a predlcuon, based on a Lheory,
whlch can be verled as belng elLher correcL or
lncorrecL.
4,,5&01$ .)&*567, #& ./#0*1$ 23#&+#&'
C2> -22; #0 & )*12"8B
1he value and usefulness of a Lheory are measured only
by how well Lhe Lheory corresponds wlLh reallLy:
hypoLheses (predlcuons) based on a good Lheory wlll
conslsLenLly be proved correcL.
lf a Lheory makes a hypoLhesls LhaL ls lncorrecL, Lhen

LlLher Lhe Lheory musL change and evolve, ln order Lo
correspond beuer wlLh reallLy

Cr, lf Lhe Lheory cannoL change ln Lhls way, lL musL be
dlscarded, and a new explanauon musL be found.
4,,5&01$ .)&*567, #& ./#0*1$ 23#&+#&'
7*1 +&)<"1 &+; #?32")&+%1 2= 1D#;1+%1
9,,5/0)&,
:6#&#)&,
!"#$%
7*12"8
710)&:'1
C832)*10#0
G3"1;#%$2+H
/D#;1+%1
May supporL Lhe hypoLhesls,
and rule ouL (dlsprove) oLher
hypoLheses
May lead Lo a new and revlsed
hypoLhesls, whlch can be
LesLed agaln
May be lnconcluslve, so LhaL no
rm concluslons can be made
May dlsprove Lhe hypoLhesls,
so LhaL Lhe Lheory needs Lo be
revlsed or dlscarded
4,,5&01$ .)&*567, #& ./#0*1$ 23#&+#&'
/D#;1+%1 ls Lhe proof (facLs, experlmenLal
resulLs, observauons) LhaL supporLs Lhe
argumenL.
5+ &"-<?1+) ls a seL of loglcal sLaLemenLs, leadlng
Lo a falr concluslon, wlLh "1&02+0 oered Lo supporL
Lhe %2+%'<0#2+.
A %2+%'<0#2+ ls a reasoned lnference or deducuon
LhaL follows from Lhe loglc of Lhe argumenL.
4,,5&01$ .)&*567, #& ./#0*1$ 23#&+#&'
I) #0 & 0,#'' )2 3"101+) 82<" 2>+ &"-<?1+)0 #+ & 31"0<&0#D1 &+;
'2-#%&' >&8E &+; )2 *1&" &+; )&,1 2+ :2&"; )*1 &"-<?1+)0 2=
2)*1"0