falsifizierbare

Falsifizierbare refers to a key concept in the philosophy of science, particularly associated with Karl Popper. A statement or theory is considered falsifizierbare if it is possible, in principle, to conceive of an observation or experiment that could prove it false. This does not mean that the statement or theory is false, but rather that it is open to empirical refutation.

The criterion of falsifiability serves as a demarcation between scientific and non-scientific claims. Scientific theories, according to Popper, must be falsifizierbare. If a theory can explain every possible outcome or observation, then it is not making any specific predictions that can be tested, and therefore it cannot be falsified. Such theories, while perhaps interesting or persuasive, are not considered scientific in this framework.

For example, the statement "All swans are white" is falsifizierbare because the existence of a single black swan would disprove it. In contrast, a vague prediction like "The future will bring change" is not easily falsifizierbare because almost any future event could be interpreted as a form of change. The concept emphasizes that scientific progress is made by attempting to disprove existing theories, leading to their revision or replacement with better-fitting ones.