Null hypothesis

The "null hypothesis" is the opposite of your "alternate hypothesis".

So.

If your alternate hypothesis is that "certain statements or beliefs cannot be proven", then your null hypothesis would be that "those statements or beliefs CAN be proven".

When you report findings you must give your final conclusion in terms of the null.

So.

When you fail to find evidence that shows "certain statements or beliefs cannot be proven", your conclusion must be "the null hypothesis MAY be correct". It is important, vital in fact, to remember that failure to find evidence in support of the alternate hypothesis DOES NOT imply proof of the null hypothesis. It only means that the null hypothesis "cannot be rejected".

Make sense?

Null hypothesis is a tool used in hypothesis testing. A really simple way to illustrate it is through this bastardization of it that I use:

Debate the other side

Craven, Adrian,

Thanks for your efforts, but I guess this is a dud thread.
I might try to rephrase it.

Not dud: You three are much more knowlegeable about null hypothesis than most of us. Neil