Falsifikatsioonism

Falsifikatsioonism is a concept in the philosophy of science developed by Karl Popper. It proposes that scientific theories can never be definitively proven true, but they can be proven false. Popper argued that the demarcation between science and pseudoscience lies in the falsifiability of a theory. A theory is considered scientific if it is possible to conceive of an observation or experiment that could potentially disprove it. If a theory has not yet been falsified, it is considered corroborated, meaning it has survived attempts to disprove it, but it is not considered proven. The process of science, according to falsifikatsioonism, involves proposing bold hypotheses and then rigorously attempting to falsify them. If a theory withstands these attempts, it gains confidence, but it remains open to future falsification. The accumulation of corroborated theories, rather than proven truths, is seen as progress in science. This contrasts with verificationism, which sought to confirm scientific theories through evidence. Falsifikatsioonism emphasizes the critical and provisional nature of scientific knowledge.