Which of the following best describes Karl Popper's philosophy of falsification?

Prepare for the OCR A-Level Philosophy Exam with interactive quizzes, flashcards, and insightful explanations. Ace your exam with confidence!

Karl Popper's philosophy of falsification asserts that for a theory to be considered scientific, it must be structured in such a way that it can be tested and potentially disproven. This principle emphasizes the importance of falsifiability as a criterion of demarcation between scientific and non-scientific claims.

Answering “A” incorrectly suggests that scientific statements are only those that can be proven true, which doesn't align with Popper's view; he believed that no number of positive outcomes can confirm a theory, but a single counter-example can invalidate it.

Option “C” implies that statements that cannot be proven are unimportant, which overlooks Popper's focus on the capacity to test theories rather than dismissing unprovable statements entirely.

Lastly, option “D” reduces the significance of falsifiable statements incorrectly; while Popper focused on their ability to be tested, he did not claim that they lack significance.

Thus, the focus on the capacity for a proposition to be proven false clearly reflects Popper's philosophy, making it the most accurate descriptor of his views.

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