Lay Philosophy: Popper’s Falsifiability and the Social Sciences

Philosophics — Philosophical and Political Ramblings · Sep 10, 2026 · 20m

Language philosopher Bry Willis explores the misunderstandings of Karl Popper’s falsifiability, clarifying that it serves as a specific entry requirement for empirical science rather than a universal rule for all truth. While a scientific theory must be open to potential refutation, the text argues that social sciences struggle to meet this standard because their subjects of study are inherently unstable. Unlike atoms, human behaviour shifts across different eras, locations, and cultures, making it impossible to establish universal laws or predictable decay functions. This cultural fluidity…