Epistemology of Replicability

This encyclopedia entry examines the epistemology of replicability, arguing that replicability, the ability of scientific results to be obtained again under similar conditions, is a central marker of the reliability, objectivity, and trustworthiness of scientific results. The entry clarifies the concept by distinguishing different forms of replication (direct, partial, and conceptual) and situates the recent Replicability Crisis within a broader epistemological framework. It identifies key factors undermining replicability, including low statistical power, misuse of methodological flexibility, failures of representativeness, and weak or poorly specified theories. While acknowledging debates about whether replicability should function as a universal epistemic standard across disciplines, the entry defends it as an indispensable goal of empirical science. Finally, it surveys proposed proposals aimed at promoting replicability, including preregistration, use of well-powered designs and representative samples, and theory formalization, and outlines strategies for selecting and conducting replication studies, concluding that replicability remains essential for scientific self-correction and the production of reliable results.