falsifierbart

Falsifierbart is a Swedish adjective used to describe a proposition, theory, or claim that can be refuted by empirical evidence or logical analysis. A falsifierbar claim is one for which a possible observation or experiment could demonstrate its falsehood. The corresponding noun form is falsifierbarhet.

The term is common in philosophy of science and epistemology, where it helps discuss how hypotheses are tested and how scientific theories are evaluated. Falsifierbarhet is central to discussions of the demarcation problem, notably in the work of Karl Popper, who argued that falsifiability is a criterion for distinguishing science from non-science. A theory that yields testable predictions and could be disproven by observation is considered falsifierbar, whereas claims that cannot in principle be contradicted are not.

Examples help illustrate the idea. The statement “All swans are white” is falsifierbar, since finding a single black swan would refute it. “Water boils at 100°C at sea level” is falsifierbar because a counterexample under the stated conditions would disprove it. In contrast, many metaphysical or purely normative claims are framed in ways that resist empirical refutation, making them non-falsifierbar in practice.

Limitations and nuances include the role of auxiliary hypotheses and experimental uncertainty, which can complicate the interpretation of refutations. Falsifiability is a criterion of testability and potential refutation, not an outright measure of truth or certainty.