underdeterminev.
transitive. To account for (a theory or phenomenon) with less than the amount of evidence needed for proof or certainty. Frequently as past participle. Cf. overdetermine v.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > attestation, witness, evidence > attest, bear witness [verb (transitive)] > support, corroborate > with inadequate evidence
underdetermine1966
1966 J. J. Katz Philos. Lang. ii. 11 As in other sciences, the evidence underdetermines a generalization.
1977 A. Giddens Stud. in Social & Polit. Theory 11 Even in the most developed areas of the natural sciences, theories are underdetermined by facts.
1979 A. R. Peacocke Creation & World of Sci. ii. 73 It is salutary to remember that most cosmological theories are underdetermined by the facts.
1984 Times Lit. Suppl. 14 Dec. 1453/3 Early exploratory models will be drastically underdetermined by the data.
Derivatives
ˌunderdetermiˈnation n. the state or quality of being underdetermined.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > proof, demonstration > [noun] > lack of
underdetermination1966
1966 J. J. Katz Philos. Lang. iv. 114 Such underdetermination means that the slack must be taken up by considerations that have to do with the simplicity and generality of the hypotheses.
1977 A. Giddens Stud. in Social & Polit. Theory 11 The underdetermination of theories by facts in social science is certainly greater than in natural science.
underdeˈtermined adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > proof, demonstration > [adjective] > proved > insufficiently
underdetermined1978
1978 Hookway & Pettit Action & Interpretation p. xi The argument is that with underdetermined theories as to someone's beliefs and desires, there is no language-independent realm of meanings in regard to which the theories differ.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1986; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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