falsable

Falsable, commonly written falsifiable, is an adjective used to describe a proposition, hypothesis, or theory that can be refuted by empirical observation or experiment. A statement is falsifiable if there exists at least one possible observation or outcome that could show it to be false; if no conceivable evidence could ever contradict it, the claim is not falsifiable.

In the philosophy of science, falsifiability is a central concept for distinguishing scientific theories from non-scientific or pseudo-scientific ones. Karl Popper argued that scientific inquiry proceeds by formulating bold conjectures that are testable and potentially refutable. He maintained that a theory’s strength lies in its capacity to be tested and possibly falsified, rather than in proving it true. It is important to note that falsifiability concerns the possibility of refutation, not the occurrence of refutations; a falsifiable theory may withstand many tests and still be considered scientifically robust.

Examples illustrate the idea: the statement “All swans are white” is falsifiable because the discovery of a single black swan would refute it. By contrast, claims that are framed in non-testable terms or rely on supernatural causes are often regarded as unfalsifiable within empirical science, though interpretations vary by methodology.

Spelling notes: falsable is a recognized variant, but falsifiable is the more common form in most varieties of English. Falsifiability remains a widely used criterion in discussions of scientific methodology.