Can Theories be Refuted?: Essays on the Duhem-Quine Thesis

According to a view assumed by many scientists and philosophers of science and standardly found in science textbooks, it is controlled experience which provides the basis for distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable theories in science: acceptable theories are those which can pass empirical tests. It has often been thought that a certain sort of test is particularly significant: 'crucial experiments' provide supporting empirical evidence for one theory while providing conclusive e...