Science as Refutation

• Modern view of the progress of Science based on Popper. (Sir Karl Popper, that is)

• A scientific theory is one that can be refuted

• I.e. it should make testable predictions

  • If these predictions are incorrect, the theory is false
  • theory may still be useful, e.g. Newtonian physics

• Therefore science is hypothesis testing

• Artificial intelligence aspires to be a science

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