In Search of a Hard Core of Evolutionism

Abstract

The author of the paper distinguishes so-called «soft» theories, which adapt to
many empirical situations, even mutually contradictory ones, and «hard» theories,
which exclude many imaginable empirical situations (i.e. results of observations
and/or experiments). Every theory is soft to some degree, due to possible modifications
of the protective belt of auxiliary hypotheses and redefinition of scientific terms.
According to Popper’s or Lakatos’ criteria, absolutely «soft» theory is unfalsifiable
and therefore unscientific. The «harder» is a given theory, the better. The author presents
the results of his search for «hard» elements of evolutionary theory and concludes
that it seems that this theory has no empirical hard core