Confirmational holism

Confirmational holism is the idea that scientific theories are tested not in isolation but as part of an interconnected web of beliefs and observations. When new evidence appears, it doesn't automatically confirm or disprove a single theory; instead, it influences the entire network of assumptions and hypotheses. Scientists adjust multiple aspects of their understanding collectively to accommodate the evidence. This approach emphasizes that scientific knowledge is interconnected and that changing one part often requires reconsidering others, highlighting the holistic nature of scientific reasoning.