Chance Quote by Ronald Fisher
![“[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…” quote by Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/981/ronald-fisher-14852_chance_coining-phrase-null-hypothesis-in-relati_2778722.jpg)
“[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
Source Book: Statistical Methods for Research Workers, Ronald Fisher, 1925
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.
Key Takeaway
Design experiments to seek evidence against the baseline.
Themes
science
methodology
critical thinking
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
Type
scientific
philosophical
When to use this quote
- research design
- data analysis
- scientific inquiry
Key Concepts
statistics
hypothesis testing
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide when evidence is sufficient to reject a null?
- What alternatives guide you after rejection?
A Different Perspective
The null may never be proven, only falsified, limiting certainty.
![“[Coining the phrase "test of significance"] Critical tests of this kind may be called tests of significance, and when such tests are available we may discover whether a second sample is or is not significantly different from the first.” quote by Ronald Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ddb/ronald-fisher-14852_available_coining-the-phrase-test-of-significance_46951.jpg)
