Although premise, hypothesis, and supposition are three entirely different words, they are frequently used together. They are therefore rather confusing. How does a hypothesis relate to a premise? What does supposition mean? All of these are some of the queries asked by students.
In this article, you will learn about the difference between premise, hypothesis and supposition.
Premise
A premise is an assumption or condition that one believes to be true. Typically, it is a logical assumption or statement that is supported by some logic. A conclusion is therefore typically developed from a premise. It’s all part of logical reasoning.
Hypothesis
A statement or concept that needs to be tested in order to be proven is known as a hypothesis. Typically, it is based on known facts that have not yet been proven. It must be proved before one can consider an idea or an explanation for something to be true.
A hypothesis is an essential part of the scientific process, in which an idea is typically proved through some sort of experiment or research.
Can a hypothesis be a premise?
The idea may also be referred to as a premise, which is an assumption or a condition that one holds to be true. When one attempts to prove it, it becomes a hypothesis.
Supposition
A supposition is an idea that is thought to be true, but it is uncertain whether it is exactly or to what extent. The act of supposing, imagining, or considering into account as true or existing what is known to be false or unproven.
Example of supposition
The product was introduced, for instance, under the supposition that there was a demand for it. There may be a demand for the products in this situation, but it may not be as strong as they had anticipated. As a result, the notion that there was demand may not be wrong, but rather real, but the amount is unknown.
Example: Premise vs Hypothesis vs Supposition
Premise: The ball is round.
The premise depends on what we can see and understand.
Conclusion based on the premise that the ball will roll.
On the premise, the conclusion is based. Because the ball is round, it will roll.
Hypothesis: The ball will roll 17 feet.
The hypothesis is an assertion that demands evidence. It’s possible that the ball will roll for 17 feet. In order to determine how far it will roll, it must be tested.
Supposition: This is the best ball for rolling.
The supposition is a belief. Just because the ball rolls well, you might assume that it is the best at doing so. There will undoubtedly be balls that roll better than this one, though. All the balls in the world cannot be tested to prove this. So, it might or might not be true.
This example should make it clearer how each of these words is used and how they relate to one another.
Difference between Premise, Hypothesis and Supposition
| Premise | Hypothesis | Supposition |
| An idea or the theory that serves as a foundation for a statement or action. | An idea or explanation for something based on known facts but not yet supported by evidence. | The fact that one believes something to be true without any evidence. |
| An assumption or a condition that supports a logical argument. | A plausible conjecture or assumption that may be proved or disproved through experimentation. | A belief or assumption that might be correct or true but might not. It may turn out to be false or inaccurate. |
| Based on fact | Needs to be proved or disapproved | May be partially true |
| Has some basis in logical understanding, Partially Proved | Needs to be Proved | Without Proof or Regardless of Proof |
| Noun, verb | Noun | Noun |
| The Earth revolves around the Sun. [hard fact] | Because the Earth revolves around the Sun and we have days and nights, the Earth spins in its orbit. | In hundreds of billions of years, a dead Sun might swallow the Earth. |
