Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 20: Problem 3

What does it mean to say that a theory is falsifiable or refutable?

Short Answer

Expert verified
A theory is said to be falsifiable or refutable if it is possible that it can be proven false or refuted. This means there's a way, at least in principle, to test whether the theory is incorrect. A theory that is not falsifiable is usually not considered a scientific theory.

Step by step solution

01

Define Falsifiability

Falsifiability or refutability is a philosophical criterion of demarcation, according to which a scientific theory is considered scientific only if it is possible that it can be proven false or refuted. Essentially, a theory is falsifiable if it makes predictions about what will happen under certain conditions.
02

Explain the Importance of Falsifiability

The concept of falsifiability is important because it helps differentiate scientific theories from pseudo-scientific theories. In principle, a falsifiable theory is one where you can imagine a potential fact or evidence that would make the theory incorrect. In other words, there should be a possible empirical observation that could disprove the theory.
03

Give an Example

For example, the statement 'All swans are white' is a falsifiable statement because if we find even one swan that is not white, the theory is disproved. It opens itself to the risk of confrontation with observable reality.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Do the following: (1) make an observation; (2) identify a question based on the observation; (3) put forth a theory to answer the question; and ( 4 ) identify at least two predictions based on the theory.

For an economist, is it preferable to assume that criminals are rational than to build a theory based on a rational criminal and then check the evidence? Explain your answer.

A person is more likely to lose his temper with a friend than with his boss. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.

The quality of the school district can affect house prices in that district. If this statement is true, what should we observe?

A man asks his brother for \(\$ 400\) to buy a television set. His brother gives him the money, and the man buys a television set. Is it guaranteed that the brother's \(\$ 400\) went to buy the television set? Why or why not?
See all solutions

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free