Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: While many criteria of testability focus on the effect (or lack thereof) of observations on the theory, as suggested by Karl Popper, the more appropriate approach is to focus on the theory’s effect on observations, as suggested by A. J. Ayer and Elliott Sober. Under this assumption, Intelligent Design fails to be testable, and Creationism either is disconfirmed or, if it is shielded from disconfirmation by the modification of other theories, fails to be testable as well. Untestable claims can provide a heuristic framework for the development of a testable theory, but to develop such a framework, Intelligent Design proponents would have to develop Intelligent Design by specifying the designer.
Author: Lutz, Sebastian
Institution: University of Cambridge
Language: English
Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7117526022