Karl Popper and the Philosophy of Science – Falsifiability.
Science is a big word and one definition is a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws. Philosophy can be defined as the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct. So, we could say that the Philosophy of Science investigates, in a rational way, how a body of facts, truths, and general laws are arranged and how to approach them. At the heart of science is the Scientific Method.
According to the Khan Academy, the Scientific Method is summarized in 6 steps:
- Make an observation.
- Ask a question.
- Form a hypothesis, or testable explanation.
- Make a prediction based on the hypothesis.
- Test the prediction.
- Iterate: use the results to make new hypotheses or predictions.
Though all the steps are important one stands out: Testing. To use this method a hypothesis must be testable! If it’s not, then you need to change your hypothesis. If testing shows your hypothesis is false/wrong, the hypothesis is wrong – adjust it or form a new one. Testing is critical.
Karl Popper, a well known Philosopher of Science, advocates for empirical falsification. A theory (hypothesis) can never be fully proven. It can only be falsified using evidence. Every time an experiment is executed the theory being tested is at high risk of being falsified. It doesn’t matter how mature a theory is; if a test shows it is wrong (or not completely right) the theory needs to change however slight or possibly discarded completely.
This happened to Issac Newton and his theory of mechanics. His theories were shown not to be perfectly exact for objects at high speeds. Einstein showed that objects at high speed (near the speed of light) don’t follow Issac Newton’s equations. Einstein’s theories also explained the orbit of Mercury where Newton’s theories failed. This is not to say Newton was not a genius. He absolutely was! We still use his motion equations as excellent approximations for objects well well under the speed of light. But, we need to incorporate Einstein’s theories for the GPS (Global Positioning System) to operate with precision. Newton’s equations won’t suffice.