<HTML>>Nevertheless, scientists *do* jump ship from a hypothesis if the evidence is against it, no matter how passionately they once supported it or how fashionable it was.
I agree with Garrett, Jim. I've seen this happen many times in archaeology, sometimes right before my eyes in person when I was at the University of Cape Town.
You will get some diehards, but that's part and parcel of life. A few examples of that does not overrule the basic principles of how science operates and neither does it overrule the numerous unmentioned instances where scientists have altered their views (it happens every day).
From palaeoanthropology I can cite instances over Australopithecus afarensis, from archaeology I can cite instances from the "seasonal mobility hypothesis".
There's no such thing as "fact", there's only probability - from 99.9*% to 0.0*1%. Science knows and recognises this.
For a more detailed summary of the workings of science I suggest you buy a copy of Arthur Strahler's "Science and Earth History".</HTML>
