Science progresses by trial and error, by conjectures and refutations. Only the fittest theories survive. - Alan Chalmers

Science is widely esteemed. Apparently it is a widely held belief that there is something special about science and its methods.

No matter which comes first, the facts or the theory, the question to be addressed is the extent to which the theory is borne out by the facts. The strongest possible claim would be that the theory can be logically derived from the facts. That is, given the facts, the theory can be proven as a consequence of them. This strong claim cannot be substantiated.

Empiricism and positivism share the common view that scientific knowledge should in some way be derived from the facts arrived at by observation.