falsifiable
Can be disproven
Falsifiable describes a claim or theory that could, in principle, be proven wrong by evidence or observation.
The term is central to philosophy of science—a hypothesis that cannot possibly be disproved isn't scientific: His theory wasn't falsifiable, so it wasn't really science.
Falsifiable doesn't mean false; it means testable.
Testable proposed explanation
- predictionForecast of coming events
- experimentationSystematic testing of ideas
- verifiableAble to be proven
- measurableAble to be gauged
quantifiable · replicable · observable · empirical · operational · controlled · variable · reproducible
Prove something untrue
- refuteProve something untrue
- debunkExpose as false
- contradictDispute a statement
- invalidateMake null or void
discredit · rebut · overturn · counter · challenge · undermine · negate · confute
Explanatory set of principles
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- dataFacts for analysis
- scientific methodStructured process for investigation
- peer reviewExpert evaluation before publication
objectivity · inquiry · investigation · research · analysis · scrutiny · rigor · validation
Philosopher of scientific method
- demarcationFormal boundary setting
- conjecturesUnverified assumptions or theories
- refutationsProofs something is wrong
- pseudoscienceBogus methodology posing as factual
verifiability · corroboration · verisimilitude · philosophy of science · epistemology · paradigm · methodology · deductive
hypothesis
Testable proposed explanation
- predictionForecast of coming events
- experimentationSystematic testing of ideas
- verifiableAble to be proven
measurable · quantifiable · replicable · observable · empirical · operational · controlled · variable · reproducible · confirmable
disprove
Prove something untrue
- refuteProve something untrue
- debunkExpose as false
- contradictDispute a statement
invalidate · discredit · rebut · overturn · counter · challenge · undermine · negate · confute · repudiate
theory
Explanatory set of principles
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- dataFacts for analysis
- scientific methodStructured process for investigation
peer review · objectivity · inquiry · investigation · research · analysis · scrutiny · rigor · validation · confirmation
Karl Popper
Philosopher of scientific method
- demarcationFormal boundary setting
- conjecturesUnverified assumptions or theories
- refutationsProofs something is wrong
pseudoscience · verifiability · corroboration · verisimilitude · philosophy of science · epistemology · paradigm · methodology · deductive · skepticism
- researchstudy, research papers, researching, archive, peer review
- validityvalid, invalid, true, correct, proven
- lab qualitiessterile, calibrated, controlled, precise, accurate
falsifiableunfalsifiable
Impossible to prove wrong
nonfalsifiable · untestable · irrefutable · unverifiable · non-empirical
falsifiableaxiomatic
Accepted without question
dogmatic · self-evident · tautological · definitional · a priori
falsifiableunfalsifiable
Impossible to prove wrong
pseudoscientific · unscientific · non-scientific · faith-based · ideological