[Coining phrase "null hypothesis"] In relation to any…
“[Coining phrase "null hypothesis"] In relation to any experiment we may speak of this hypothesis as the "null hypothesis," and it should be noted that the null hypothesis is never proved or established, but is possibly disproved, in the course of experimentation. Every experiment may be said to exist only in order to give the facts a chance of disproving the null hypothesis.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The null hypothesis is a baseline claim that experiments aim to challenge, not prove.
In simple terms: Experiments test a default assumption that may be disproved.
Design experiments to seek evidence against the baseline.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- research design
- data analysis
- scientific inquiry
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide when evidence is sufficient to reject a null?
- What alternatives guide you after rejection?
The null may never be proven, only falsified, limiting certainty.