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Take as an example the standard null hypothesis of the means of two groups being the same. This is a very concrete condition that is amenable to having predicti

Take as an example the standard null hypothesis of the means of two groups being the same. This is a very concrete condition that is amenable to having predictions made from it. But now let's say that you assume they are different. Well, how different are they? You need to make that choice in order to get predictions. And then your rejection is not a rejection of "being different" but "being different in this one specific way".

nonbel 9y ago
>'But now let's say that you assume they are different. Well, how different are they? You need to make that choice in order to get predictions. And then your rejection is not a rejection of "being different" but "being different in this one specific way".' Yes, precisely. You should predict a specific thing will happen based on some theory and check it with data. This sounds like the science we learned about in school. Only predicting "there should be some difference" with your theories is more like astrology or something.