disconfirmation

plural disconfirmations

1. uncountablehuman sciencesIntroduction of evidence which conclusively establishes that a belief or hypothesis is not true or which diminishes the acceptability of a belief or hypothesis.

   Once we move our search to the region of the mind, we find that access to the facts becomes much more difficult; as a result, disconfirmation is largely out of reach and metaphor begins to flourish.

   1990, Donald P. Spence, “Theories of the Mind: Science or Literature?”, in Poetics Today, volume 11, number 2, page 331

2. countableA particular fact, observation, or other item of evidence which shows or tends to show that a belief or hypothesis is not true.

   One can reduce the disconfirmations of economic generalizations by specifying a margin of error.

   1981, Daniel M. Hausman, “John Stuart Mill's Philosophy of Economics”, in Philosophy of Science, volume 48, number 3, page 366