observational equivalence.

A relation in which distinct models yield the same observable predictions, so those observations cannot distinguish them.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• observationally equivalent models
• observational equivalence of theories
• break observational equivalence

On the page

The two causal accounts were observationally equivalent under the available measurements.

Usage notes

Equivalence is relative to the observations or tests available; new measurements or interventions may distinguish models that previously matched.