Small scope hypothesis

The small scope hypothesis states that most bugs can be demonstrated with small counterexamples.

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Most flaws in models can be illustrated by small instances, since they arise from some shape being handled incorrectly, and whether the shape belongs to a large or small instances, most flaws will be revealed. This observation, which I call the small scope hypothesis, is the fundamental premise that underlies Alloy’s analysis. —Software Abstractions: Logic, Language, and Analysis