sentence: Scientists try to let reality speak for itself.
sentences_after: They support a theory when its predictions are confirmed, and challenge it when its predictions prove false. Scientific researchers offer hypotheses as explanations of phenomena, and design experiments to test these hypotheses. Since big theories cannot be tested directly, it is done by testing predictions derived from the theory. These steps must be repeatable, to guard against mistake or confusion in any particular experimenter.
concept_name: scientist
headings: Scientific method Criterion
categories: Philosophy of science