underdetermines

Underdetermines is the third-person singular present tense of the verb underdetermine. To underdetermine something is to leave it insufficiently determined or to fail to determine it uniquely. For example, one may say that the data underdetermine the most plausible model of a phenomenon.

In philosophy of science, underdetermination refers to situations in which available evidence is compatible with multiple competing theories. The Duhem-Quine thesis argues that data often underdetermine which theory is correct because hypotheses are tested only with respect to a whole network of beliefs and assumptions. Under such conditions extra-empirical criteria—such as simplicity, coherence with established theories, or pragmatic considerations—are employed to choose between theories.

Underdetermination can occur in other disciplines as well, including economics, biology, and jurisprudence, where limited information or measurement error prevents a unique inference. It is not a denial that there may be truth, but rather a characterization of the evidential limits that prevent unique determination given current knowledge.

Related terms include underdetermined, an adjective describing models or problems lacking sufficient data to yield a unique solution, and underdetermination (the noun) referring to the phenomenon itself.