Corroboration and auxiliary hypotheses

Duhem's thesis revisited

Darrell P. Rowbottom

pp. 139-149

in: Synthese 177 (1), 2010.

Abstract

This paper argues that Duhem’s thesis does not decisively refute a corroboration-based account of scientific methodology (or ‘falsificationism’), but instead that auxiliary hypotheses are themselves subject to measurements of corroboration which can be used to inform practice. It argues that a corroboration-based account is equal to the popular Bayesian alternative, which has received much more recent attention, in this respect.

Cited authors

Duhem Pierre