Question

Aligned with the scientific method, a scientist has 2 choices when making a conclusion, to either accept or reject the hypothesis. What does it mean to make either of these conclusions? Is it accurate to say that a hypothesis is either “true” or “false”? Explain. Discuss with your classmates. Reply

Answer 1

An hypothesis is an idea or a result that the scientist is expecting to see. When a hypothesis is rejected, one can decrease the margin of error for further studies that will follow the current one, and when a hypothesis is accepted, the results that were expected were seen. However, when rejecting or accepting an hypothesis, one cannot state that the idea or results obtained are false or true. This purely means that the scientist is either going in the right direction if the results were to be expected, and if not it gives the scientist direction in terms of how to approach further studies. There are no definite true or false results in science, we are simply eliminating the margin of error slowly but surely until we can say something with a bit more clarity and understanding.