Falsification

/ˌfɔlsəfɪˈkeɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The action of proving something false or the process of showing that a scientific theory or hypothesis is incorrect through contradictory evidence. In philosophy of science, it's Karl Popper's criterion for distinguishing science from non-science.

Etymology

From Latin falsificare, meaning 'to make false,' composed of falsus (false) + facere (to make). Philosopher Karl Popper elevated this term to central importance in scientific methodology during the 20th century.

Kelly Says

Falsification is science's secret weapon for staying honest! Popper argued that good scientific theories must be falsifiable – if you can't imagine evidence that would prove them wrong, they're not really scientific theories at all.

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