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<center>''This is a powerful concept for overcoming regret, and debunking other untestable assertions: unfalsifiable notions are a waste of time''.</center>

<center>''This is a powerful concept for overcoming regret, and debunking other untestable assertions: unfalsifiable notions are a waste of time''.</center>

A concept is '''falsifiable''' if it is possible to show that it is false if it were false.<ref>[http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O87-falsifiability.html Definition] A Dictionary of Psychology, Andrew M. Colman, via encyclopedia.com</ref>  A concept that could not possibly be shown to be false, even if it were false, is not falsifiable.  Many true theories are '''falsifiable''', such as the prediction that sun will rise in the East tomorrow morning, because if that theory were false then it would be possible to show that it is false.<ref>If the outcome of an actual experiment has an outcome that disproves a theory, then that theory is both falsifiable and demonstrably false.</ref>  That experiment could consist of waiting until the next morning to see what happens.  Independently of the outcome of that test, the fact that one can devise such a test renders the theory falsifiable.<ref>Of course the test gets conducted every morning, and has never failed.</ref>

A concept is '''falsifiable''' if it is possible to show that it is false if it were false.<ref>[http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O87-falsifiability.html Definition] A Dictionary of Psychology, Andrew M. Colman, via encyclopedia.com</ref>  A concept that could not possibly be shown to be false, even if it were false, is not falsifiable.  Many theories are '''falsifiable''', '''falsifiable''' claims are the only claims that can be true, such as the prediction that sun will rise in the East tomorrow morning, because if that theory were false then it would be possible to show that it is false.<ref>If the outcome of an actual experiment has an outcome that disproves a theory, then that theory is both falsifiable and demonstrably false.</ref>  That experiment could consist of waiting until the next morning to see what happens.  Independently of the outcome of that test, the fact that one can devise such a test renders the theory falsifiable.<ref>Of course the test gets conducted every morning, and has never failed.</ref>

To be considered [[scientific]], a [[hypothesis]] must be "falsifiable", i.e., capable of being proven false. If no one, not even the supporters of the hypothesis, can think of a way the hypothesis might be proven false, then most scientists would agree that it is not part of science (see [[pseudoscience]]). However, the [[history of science]] is full of examples whereby supporters of various theories refused to consider the prospect that someone might prove them wrong.

To be considered [[scientific]], a [[hypothesis]] must be "falsifiable", i.e., capable of being proven false. If no one, not even the supporters of the hypothesis, can think of a way the hypothesis might be proven false, then most scientists would agree that it is not part of science (see [[pseudoscience]]). However, the [[history of science]] is full of examples whereby supporters of various theories refused to consider the prospect that someone might prove them wrong.

For example, the suggestion that I would be very happy if I were ten years younger is not falsifiable, because it is impossible to test the hypothesis by making myself ten years younger and seeing how I feel.  Similarly, emotions that things would be better if only [fill-in-the-blank] are not falsifiable, and thus not worth thinking about.

For example, the suggestion that I would be very happy if I were ten years younger is not falsifiable, because it is impossible to test the hypothesis by making myself ten years younger and seeing how I feel.  Similarly, emotions that things would be better if only [fill-in-the-blank] are not falsifiable, and thus not worth thinking about.