Abstract

In this paper, I propose a formal framework for modelling the process of testing empirical statements, hypotheses, theories, and research programmes. Unlike the diverse forms of falsificationism, this framework does not require any commitment to classical logic or to any specific system of logic, as it aims to be useful regardless of the logic we presuppose. On this regard, the paper will focus on how this framework applies to two logical contexts: the classical and the paraconsistent contexts. I will show that this framework converges with falsificationism for consistent classical theories, and that it has very interesting consequences for the variety of paraconsistent cases. Concerning the latter cases, what may be called "empirical dialetheism" will be severely undermined as I will show that not even in our quite liberal framework it is possible to reject an "observable contradiction."