"Always ask whether the hypothesis can be, at least in principle, falsified. Propositions that are untestable, unfalsifiable are not worth much."
This. That's a good way to put it. I've mentioned Fred Hoyle's line on that, "Science is prediction, not explanation" (which is from one of Hoyle's novels), but Sagan's line is better.
Key point: unfalsifiable theories do not lead to useful technology. Engineering requires predictability.
This. That's a good way to put it. I've mentioned Fred Hoyle's line on that, "Science is prediction, not explanation" (which is from one of Hoyle's novels), but Sagan's line is better.
Key point: unfalsifiable theories do not lead to useful technology. Engineering requires predictability.