Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/62975 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2002
Series/Report no.: 
Memorandum No. 2002,21
Publisher: 
University of Oslo, Department of Economics, Oslo
Abstract: 
The Duhem-Quine thesis asserts that any empirical evaluation of a theory is in fact a composite test of several interconnected hypotheses. Recalcitrant evidence signals falsity within the conjunction of hypotheses, but logic alone cannot pinpoint the individual element(s) inside the theoretical cluster responsible for a false prediction. This paper considers the relevance of the Duhem-Quine thesis for experimental economics. A starting point is to detail how laboratory evaluations of economic hypotheses constitute composite tests. Another aim is to scrutinize the strategy of conducting a series of experiments in order to hem in the source(s) of disconfirmative evidence. A Bayesian approach is employed to argue that reproducing experiments is not necessarily useful in terms of identifying correct causes of recalcitrant data.
Subjects: 
Experimental economics
methodology
Duhem-Quine thesis
JEL: 
B41
C90
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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