NOTIONS OF HYPOTHESIS IN DIGITAL FORENSICS

Overview & Synopsis

With the growing scientification of the discipline of digital forensics, the notion of “scientific hypothesis” is becoming increasingly important, because all empirical science is hypothetical, not apodictic. Although the word “hypothesis” is used widely in the digital forensics literature, its usage is not sufficiently reflected from a philosophy of science point of view. This chapter discusses this problem with particular reference to Carrier’s methodological work in which the notion of hypothesis plays a prominent role.