What does it mean for a hypothesis to have explanatory power?

The hypothesis has no evidence to support it.
The hypothesis has no evidence to support it.

The hypothesis is testable.
The hypothesis is testable.

The hypothesis has an independent and a dependent variable.
The hypothesis has an independent and a dependent variable.

The hypothesis has been tested many times and over a wide variety of conditions.

3 answers

For a hypothesis to have explanatory power means that it effectively clarifies and accounts for a specific phenomenon or set of phenomena, providing a clear understanding of how and why certain events occur. Among the options you've provided, none directly define explanatory power, but we can surmise which relates to it conceptually.

  • The hypothesis is testable. This is important for a hypothesis, as a testable hypothesis can be evaluated through experimentation or observation, but it doesn't directly address explanatory power.

  • The hypothesis has an independent and a dependent variable. While this relates more to the structure of a hypothesis in experimental research design, it does not specifically speak to its explanatory capability.

  • The hypothesis has been tested many times and over a wide variety of conditions. This option could be the closest to relevant to explanatory power. A hypothesis that has been rigorously tested and consistently provides explanations for observations across various conditions suggests a robust explanatory capacity.

In summary, a hypothesis with explanatory power helps to elucidate underlying mechanisms and can successfully account for observed patterns or phenomena in a consistent manner.

so what is the answer?

The most relevant option that relates to the concept of explanatory power is:

The hypothesis has been tested many times and over a wide variety of conditions.

This suggests that the hypothesis has reliably provided explanations in different contexts, indicating strong explanatory capability.