coures/objects/models-hypotheses.html

Models and Hypotheses in Environmental Science

1. Definitions

theory - considerable evidence

hypothesis - implies a lack of proof and suggests a particular explanation which can be tested

model - stylized representation of the overall system, models are tools for evaluating hypotheses but they are not hypotheses

because models aren't set up to be shown to be disproven with some evidence

they are set up to represent some behaviors of the real world

 

2. Using models

simple - use to gain insight

busier - use to fit the particular situation and predict

 

3. Multiple models/multiple hypotheses

use multiple hypotheses with strong inference - try to differentiate between choices

confront multiple models with data and assess the likelihood of each model (one might be 50% and the other 75%), neither is "correct".

 

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