DuhemQuine

DuhemQuine is a term often used to refer to the Duhem–Quine thesis, a position in the philosophy of science concerning how theories are tested by empirical data. Named after French physicist Pierre Duhem (1861–1916) and American philosopher Willard Van Orman Quine (1908–2000), the thesis holds that experimental tests do not isolate a single hypothesis but assess a network of assumptions, including auxiliary hypotheses and background theories. Consequently, when a test yields an unfavorable result, it can be difficult to determine which component of the network is at fault; researchers may modify the main hypothesis, the auxiliary assumptions, or other background principles to restore agreement with observation.

The Duhem–Quine thesis is often associated with underdetermination of scientific theory by data, the idea that empirical evidence may be insufficient to determine a unique theory. Duhem emphasized the interdependence of hypotheses within a testing scenario, while Quine broadened the idea into a holistic view of belief revision, the “web of belief,” in which an empirical finding can be accommodated by altering many elements of the network.

In practice, the thesis has influenced debates on falsification, theory change, and scientific realism. It has faced criticism for allegedly overstating indeterminacy and for underappreciating diagnostic potential of experiments and methodological constraints. Nevertheless, the Duhem–Quine thesis remains a central reference point in analyses of how scientific theories survive, adapt, or are replaced in light of evidence.