Strong inference in mechanistic urolithiasis: a tribute to Birdwell Finlayson's biophysical contributions.

The career of Birdwell Finlayson was distinguished by his continual efforts at casting problems he encountered in urolithiasis in terms of relevant physical theory. His extensive background in biophysics qualified him uniquely for this task. He employed a process called "strong inference" as much as possible; this process was derived from a 1964 essay by John R. Platt, and it appears repeatedly as a guiding principle in Finlayson's research.