Question

Use the following statement attributed to the French philosopher Denis Diderot, the chief editor of the Encyclopédie, to answer the question below:

"In order to shake a hypothesis, it is sometimes not necessary to do anything more than push it as far as it will go."—Public Domain

What does Diderot mean by the phrase "shake a hypothesis"?

combine it with another hypothesis

prove it is flawed or wrong

provide it with additional force

interpret it literally

Answer 1

@lilshane

Answer 2

what u think here about the answer...?

Answer 3

To me, to shake something up is to stir up the status quo. And so it sounds like "shaking up a hypothesis" is to either show flaws in it or show there's a better alternative.

Answer 4

Prove it is flawed or wrong is what Diderot means by the phrase "shake a hypothesis".

Answer 5

I believe that the phrase "shake a hypothesis" is saying that in order to prove it is wrong or flawed, it is sometimes not necessary to do anything more than push it as far as it will go.

Answer 6

So, I do think that it is, to prove it is flawed or wrong. What do you think?

Answer 7

That's what I think as well. :)