cáfolat

Cáfolat is a Hungarian noun that denotes the act or result of refuting a proposition, claim, or argument. It encompasses the presentation of a counterargument, a counterexample, or any evidence that undermines the validity of a thesis. In common usage, cáfolat is produced in response to an assertion that is considered doubtful or incorrect, and it may aim to show that the premises are false, the reasoning is invalid, or the conclusion does not follow from the premises.

Use and scope: In philosophy and logic, a cáfolat often takes the form of a counterexample or a critical inference that challenges the inference from premises to conclusion. In science and law, it may be an experimental result, observation, or legal argument that contradicts a hypothesis or proposition. The existence of a cáfolat can lead to revision, refinement, or rejection of the claim under consideration. For example, the claim “All swans are white” has a cáfolat in the observation of black swans.

Etymology and related terms: The word derives from the verb cáfolni, meaning “to refute,” with the nominalizing suffix -at. Related terms include cáfolás (the act of refuting) and cáfoló (refutatory). In English-language discourse, the closest equivalents are refutation, counterexample, or disproof, chosen according to whether the emphasis is on argument structure, empirical evidence, or logical validity.