The 19th-century philosopher of science
William Whewell qualified this statement, saying that, "it was by such a use of hypotheses, that both Newton himself and
Kepler, on whose discoveries those of Newton were based, made their discoveries". Whewell stated:What is requisite is, that the hypothesis should be close to the facts, and not connected with them by other arbitrary and untried facts; and that the philosopher should be ready to resign it as soon as the facts refuse to confirm it. Later,
Imre Lakatos asserted that such a resignation should not be too rushed. ==See also==