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A POSTERIORI: A conclusion reached through logical reasoning based on facts and observations about the real world. This notion is closely related to the scientific verification of hypotheses and the identification of principles. A similar sounding, but opposite term is a prior, which is a unverified presumption made before an analysis is undertaken. For example, in the study of economics of crime you might assume, a priori, that people are basically "good", and conclude, a posteriori, that people are more likely to commit crimes when the threat of capture and conviction is lower.
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HYPOTHESIS A reasonable proposition about the workings of the world that is inspired or implied by a theory and which may or may not be true. A hypothesis is essentially a prediction made by a theory that can be compared with observations in the real world. A hypothesis usually takes the form: "If A, then also B." The essence of the scientific method is to test, or verify, hypotheses against real world data. If supported by data over and over again, a hypothesis becomes a principle.
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The Dow Jones family of stock market price indexes began with a simple average of 11 stock prices in 1884.
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"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. " -- Nelson Mandela, statesman
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OAPEC
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
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