Ad Hoc Hypothesis
Updated 2026-08-05
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
A concept from philosophy of science, central to Karl Popper's account of falsifiability. When evidence contradicts a theory, an ad hoc hypothesis is introduced solely to explain away that evidence, and it is typically constructed so that no independent test could disconfirm it. The core claim is that such patches protect a theory by making it unfalsifiable rather than by improving it. The qualification is that auxiliary hypotheses are legitimate in science, and the question is whether they can be tested independently.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Use Patch Detection: Notice when a theory gains a new assumption only after a counterexample appears. - Use Testability Check: Ask whether the added assumption could be tested independently of the claim it rescues. - Use Core Revision: Consider changing the central claim rather than accumulating protective adjustments.
Anchor fast decisions
A theory gains credibility by forbidding certain observations, so when an observation that should be impossible occurs, the theory loses support. Adding a patch that explains only that observation restores the appearance of consistency without adding any new predictive content, which keeps the theory from being tested at all. Because the patch is tailored to the anomaly, no further evidence can count against it, and the theory becomes immune to correction.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hoc_hypothesisverified
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