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Falsifiable: meaning, definitions and examples

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falsifiable

 

[ fɔːlˈsɪf.ə.bəl ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

scientific theory

Falsifiable refers to a statement, hypothesis, or theory that can be proven false through observation or experiment. It is a crucial concept in the philosophy of science, as it distinguishes scientific statements from those that are not scientific. A falsifiable claim must be testable and capable of being refuted by evidence.

Synonyms

disprovable, refutable, testable.

Examples of usage

  • The hypothesis is falsifiable because it can be tested with experiments.
  • In science, a theory must be falsifiable to hold validity.
  • Falsifiable claims allow for systematic investigation and verification.
  • Unfalsifiable claims cannot be tested and remain speculative.

Translations

Translations of the word "falsifiable" in other languages:

🇵🇹 falsificável

🇮🇳 असत्यापित करने योग्य

🇩🇪 falsifizierbar

🇮🇩 falsifiable

🇺🇦 фальсифікований

🇵🇱 falsyfikowalny

🇯🇵 反証可能な

🇫🇷 falsifiable

🇪🇸 falsable

🇹🇷 yanlışlanabilir

🇰🇷 반증 가능한

🇸🇦 قابل للتكذيب

🇨🇿 falsifikovatelný

🇸🇰 falsifikovateľný

🇨🇳 可证伪的

🇸🇮 falsificiran

🇮🇸 falsanlegur

🇰🇿 жалған шығаруға болатын

🇬🇪 განგებულების შესაძლებელი

🇦🇿 saxtalaşdırıla bilən

🇲🇽 falsable

Etymology

The term 'falsifiable' was popularized by philosopher Karl Popper in the mid-20th century as part of his philosophy of science. He argued that for a theory to be considered scientific, it must be possible to conceive of an observation or an experiment that would prove it false. This concept contrasts with verificationism, which emphasizes the verifiability of scientific statements. 'Falsifiable' is derived from 'falsify', which comes from the Latin root 'falsus', meaning 'false'. The prefix 'fals-' relates to the idea of dishonesty or deceit, thus, in the scientific context, falsifiability reflects the commitment to rigorous standards of evidence. This principle has played a significant role in shaping modern scientific inquiry and the development of the scientific method, emphasizing that a good scientific theory not only explains facts but also predicts observations that can contradict it.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #36,499, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.