What does the term falsifiability refer to in scientific theories?

Falsifiability refers to the capacity of a theory to be proven wrong. This concept, introduced by philosopher Karl Popper, is essential in distinguishing scientific theories from non-scientific ones. A theory is considered scientific if it makes predictions that can potentially be tested and refuted by empirical evidence. This means that there must be a possibility to observe evidence that contradicts the theory; otherwise, it remains unfalsifiable and lacks scientific grounding.

If a theory cannot be tested in a way that could potentially disprove it, then it falls outside the realm of scientific inquiry. Therefore, the ability to be shown to be false is fundamental to the process of verification and the advancement of scientific knowledge. A theory’s robustness is not about being proven true but rather about the ability to be challenged and possibly proven wrong through experimentation and observation.

In contrast, options that focus on being proven true, withstanding tests, or applicability in real-world scenarios do not capture the fundamental nature of falsifiability as they emphasize aspects other than the crucial idea that theories must be capable of being disproven for them to be scientifically valid.