Falsifikationen

Falsifikationen is a concept within philosophy of science, most notably associated with the work of Karl Popper. It refers to the idea that a scientific theory can never be definitively proven true, but it can be proven false. Popper argued that the hallmark of a truly scientific theory is its falsifiability. This means that there must be some conceivable observation or experiment that could demonstrate the theory to be incorrect. Theories that cannot be tested in this way, or are so vague that any observation can be interpreted as supporting them, are considered pseudoscientific by this criterion.

The process of falsification involves making predictions based on a scientific theory and then attempting to find evidence that contradicts these predictions. If such contradictory evidence is found, and it withstands scrutiny, then the theory is considered falsified and must be revised or discarded. This iterative process of proposing theories and attempting to falsify them is central to Popper's view of scientific progress. It is a continuous cycle of conjecture and refutation, where science advances by eliminating incorrect ideas rather than by accumulating unchallengeable truths.

For example, a theory that claims all swans are white is falsifiable because the observation of a single black swan would prove it false. In contrast, a theory that states "all swans are either white or not white" is not falsifiable because any observation would fit this statement. The emphasis on falsifiability distinguishes scientific inquiry from other forms of belief systems that may not be open to empirical refutation.