The American political system is sometimes described as an “experiment in ordered liberty.” The metaphorical scientific language is important. To conduct an experiment, one forms an hypothesis, gathers evidence, tests the evidence against the theory, and makes appropriate adjustments. If the evidence suggests that the experiment is not working, the appropriate response is to posit another theory, not double down on the failed one.
As with any experiment, we must be willing to admit when our “experiment in ordered liberty” has failed. We cannot be so committed to the theory that we ignore evidence that suggests it might be faulty. If it is an experiment, it must be open to empirical observation and evaluation. It must be falsifiable. If no set of empirical observations can ever contradict the theory, it turns from an experiment into an unfalsifiable ideology.
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