Prüfbares

Prüfbares is a German adjective meaning capable of being tested, verifiable, or checkable. It is formed from the verb prüfen (to test) and the suffix -bar (able to). The term can be used to describe statements, hypotheses, data, or results that can be checked against evidence or through observation and experiment. In some contexts it may also be used as a noun in the form das Prüfbare, referring to what can be tested or verified.

Grammatically, prüfbar functions as a normal attributive adjective. Examples include ein prüfbares Ergebnis (a testable result), eine prüfbare Hypothese (a testable hypothesis), or prüfbare Belege (verifiable evidence). The plural is prüfbare Ergebnisse, prüfbare Belege, etc. The noun form das Prüfbare is rarer and tends to appear in philosophical or theoretical writing to denote the realm or thing that is testable.

Usage and scope

Prüfbares is common in scientific and analytic language, where statements and theories are evaluated against criteria, experiments, or observations. It is closely related to verifiability and testability, and in some contexts overlaps with terms like nachprüfbar (verifiable) or belegbar (evidence-supported). In philosophy of science, discussions often distinguish zwischen prüfbaren Behauptungen and unprüfbaren assertions, while in software and engineering the related idea is the testbarkeit or Testbarkeit of a system.

Relation to falsifiability

While prüfbar emphasizes that something can be tested, falsifizierbar (falsifiable) is a related but distinct criterion used by Popper to demarcate science. A statement can be prüfbar without being falsifizierbar, depending on whether it can be subjected to refutation under possible observations.

See also: verifizierbarkeit, falsifizierbarkeit, nachprüfbar, Beleg.