Assumption Reversal
Updated 2026-08-11
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
The method does not test a hypothesis directly but assumes its negation and derives what would follow, looking for a consequence contradicted by fact. If the negation leads to an observable that has not occurred, the negation is discredited and the original hypothesis is supported, with the caveat that the support is proportional to how uniquely the negation produced that consequence.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Assume the reverse: take the opposite of the hypothesis as the working premise. - Derive its signature: state what that reverse makes observable. - Look for contradiction: find a fact the derivation cannot accommodate.
Anchor fast decisions
Direct confirmation accumulates cases, and cases can be consistent with many hypotheses at once. The reverse path derives a unique signature from the negation and tests the signature, which is more informative because a mismatch rules something out rather than merely adding one more agreeable data point.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- doi.orghttps://doi.org/10.14697/jkase.2013.33.2.501verified
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