UNDERSTANDING “FALSIFIABILITY”

“FALSIFIABLE” MEANS: AN IDEA IS ABLE TO BE PROVEN WRONG. IF YOU PROVE SOMETHING WRONG, YOU HAVE “FALSIFIED” IT. YOU WOULD ONLY NEED TO MAKE AS LITTLE AS ONE OBSERVATION TO FALSIFY IT.

CAN IT BE “FALSIFIED?” WHY OR WHY NOT? FOR EXAMPLE: CONSIDER THE STATEMENT: “IF A TREE FALLS IN THE FOREST IT MAKES A SOUND.” CAN IT BE “FALSIFIED?” WHY OR WHY NOT?

NOW, HOW ABOUT THIS STATEMENT: “ALL MEN ARE IMMORTAL.” CAN IT BE “FALSIFIED?” WHY OR WHY NOT?

“ALL MEN WILL DIE BEFORE THEY REACH 150 YEARS OF AGE.” What about this? “ALL MEN WILL DIE BEFORE THEY REACH 150 YEARS OF AGE.” CAN IT BE “FALSIFIED?” WHY OR WHY NOT?

THE CAMP FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY GHOSTS. CAN IT BE FALSIFIED? What about this? THE CAMP FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY GHOSTS. CAN IT BE FALSIFIED? WHY OR WHY NOT?

AN ALIEN SPACESHIP CRASH LANDED IN ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO. What about this? AN ALIEN SPACESHIP CRASH LANDED IN ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO. CAN IT BE FALSIFIED? WHY OR WHY NOT?

What about this? YOUR TEACHER IS ACTUALLY AN ALIEN BUT LOOKS AND BEHAVES LIKE A HUMAN IN EVERY WAY. CAN IT BE FALSIFIED? WHY OR WHY NOT?

NOW… CAREFULLY RECONSIDER THE EXAMPLES WE JUST DID TOGETHER. PICK A PARTNER WITH WHOM YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WORKING. ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER, CREATE four STATEMENT THAT ARE FALSIFIABLE. CREATE four STUATEMENTS THAT ARE NON FALSIFIABLE. IDENTIFY THEM AS SUCH, BUT DO NOT REVEAL THEM TO ANYONE ELSE. AFTER CREATING YOUR STATEMENTS, PICK OUT THREE THAT YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SHARE WITH US. HAVE STUDENTS TRY TO CORRECTLY IDENTIFY FALSIFIABLE AND NONFALSIFIABLE IDEAS THROUGH PARTICIPATION. ASSESS THEIR RATIONALE AND SUBMIT YOUR STATEMENTS..