R · Rivals

Choose a named move in this branch to open its working page and checks.

• Credible alternatives

  List the serious rival explanations for what you're seeing, without inventing weak strawmen to knock down.

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• Mechanism trace

  For each rival explanation, spell out how it would leave a different fingerprint in the world.

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• Divergent predictions

  Before looking at the result, lock in what each rival explanation predicts you will see.

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• Falsifier and nondiagnostic result

  State in advance what result would weaken your favorite theory and which results would tell you nothing.

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