--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is easy to obtain confirmations, or…" description: "\"It is easy to obtain confirmations, or verifications, for nearly every theory-if we look for confirmations. Confirmations should count only if they are..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/karl-popper-2167_confirmation_it-is-easy-to-obtain-confirmations-or-ve_2725225.jpg" --- # It is easy to obtain confirmations, or verifications, for… ![“It is easy to obtain confirmations, or verifications, for nearly every theory-if we look for confirmations. Confirmations should count only if they are the result of risky predictions... A theory which is not refutable by any conceivable event is non-scientific. Irrefutability is not a virtue of a…” quote by Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/karl-popper-2167_confirmation_it-is-easy-to-obtain-confirmations-or-ve_2725225.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/karl-popper-2167_confirmation_it-is-easy-to-obtain-confirmations-or-ve_2725225.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/karl-popper-2167_confirmation_it-is-easy-to-obtain-confirmations-or-ve_2725225.jpg) > “It is easy to obtain confirmations, or verifications, for nearly every theory-if we look for confirmations. Confirmations should count only if they are the result of risky predictions... A theory which is not refutable by any conceivable event is non-scientific. Irrefutability is not a virtue of a theory (as people often think) but a vice. Every genuine test of a theory is an attempt to falsify it, or refute it.” [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientific theories must be falsifiable; only risky predictions test validity. **In simple terms:** Science advances by trying to prove theories wrong. Key Takeaway Design experiments that could disprove your ideas. Themes science falsifiability methodology Mood analytical skeptical Type philosophical academic When to use this quote - research design - policy analysis - education - risk assessment Key Concepts philosophy of science critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions in your field resist testing? - How can you balance falsifiability with practical utility? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on falsification can ignore useful provisional models. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conceivable Event](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceivable-event-2912722/) [Confirmation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confirmation/) [Ease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ease/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Falsify Refute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsify-refute-2912721/) [Genuine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genuine/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Irrefutability Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrefutability-virtue-2912720/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Predictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predictions/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientific Irrefutability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-irrefutability-2912719/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Theory Refutable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory-refutable-1858153/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Verification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verification/) [Vices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vices/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [A theory which is not refutable by any conceivable event is non-scientific. Irrefutability is not a virtue of a theory (as people often think)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/a-theory-which-is-not-refutable-by-any-conceivable-event-is-non/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Every genuine test of a theory is an attempt to falsify it, or to refute it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/every-genuine-test-of-a-theory-is-an-attempt-to-falsify-it-or-to/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [It is certainly not the least charm of a theory that it is refutable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-certainly-not-the-least-charm-of-a-theory-that-it-is-refutable-2/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It is certainly not the least charm of a theory that it is refutable; it is precisely thereby that it attracts the more subtle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-certainly-not-the-least-charm-of-a-theory-that-it-is-refutable/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Going on stage and doing ballet, for the first time, was even more verification of, "This is what I'm meant to do. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/going-on-stage-and-doing-ballet-for-the-first-time-was-even-more/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [ \[Mathematics\] unceasingly calls forth the faculties of observation and comparison; one of its principal weapons is induction: it has frequent recourse to trial and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joseph-sylvester/mathematics-unceasingly-calls-forth-the-faculties-of-observation-and/) [James Joseph Sylvester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joseph-sylvester/) > [ A prejudice may be an unreasoned judgment, he \[Hibben\] pointed out, but an unreasoned judgment is not necessarily an illogical judgment. ... First, there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/a-prejudice-may-be-an-unreasoned-judgment-he-hibben-pointed-out-but/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) > [One of the bigger mistakes of our time, I suppose, was preaching the demonization of all judgment without teaching how to judge righteously. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/one-of-the-bigger-mistakes-of-our-time-i-suppose-was-preaching-the/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I think companies need to put up tools that put privacy and security in the hands of their users and make it easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-cohen/i-think-companies-need-to-put-up-tools-that-put-privacy-and-security/) [Jared Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-cohen/) > [Truth for us is simply a collective name for verification processes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/truth-for-us-is-simply-a-collective-name-for-verification-processes/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Agemates provide the most informative points of reference for comparative efficacy appraisal and verification. Children are, therefore, especially sensitive to their relative standing among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-bandura/agemates-provide-the-most-informative-points-of-reference-for/) [Albert Bandura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-bandura/) > [In the end, the discipline of verification is what separates journalism from entertainment, propaganda, fiction, or art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kovach/in-the-end-the-discipline-of-verification-is-what-separates/) [Bill Kovach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kovach/) > [A fact is a proposition of which the verification by an appeal to the primary sources of our knowledge or to experience is directand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-wright/a-fact-is-a-proposition-of-which-the-verification-by-an-appeal-to-the/) [Chauncey Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-wright/) > [“There are no such words like "over-dreaming" or dreaming without "biometric verification". You can dream over and over again! You don't need a certificate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/there-are-no-such-words-like-over-dreaming-or-dreaming-without/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“The generalized theory of relativity has furnished still more remarkable results. This considers not only uniform but also accelerated motion. In particular, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-michelson/the-generalized-theory-of-relativity-has-furnished-still-more/) [A.A. Michelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-michelson/) ## More by Karl Popper > [Science is not a system of certain, or -established, statements; nor is it a system which steadily advances towards a state of finality... And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-not-a-system-of-certain-or-established-statements-nor-is/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“As indicated by our example, methodological nominalism is nowadays fairly generally accepted in the natural sciences. The problems of the social sciences, on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/as-indicated-by-our-example-methodological-nominalism-is-nowadays/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Science is perhaps the only human activity in which errors are systematically criticized and, in time, corrected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/science-is-perhaps-the-only-human-activity-in-which-errors-are/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [A system is empirical or scientific only if it is capable of being tested by experience. These considerations suggest that not the verifiability but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/a-system-is-empirical-or-scientific-only-if-it-is-capable-of-being/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Bold ideas, unjustified anticipations, and speculative thought, are our only means for interpreting nature: our only organon, our only instrument, for grasping her. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/bold-ideas-unjustified-anticipations-and-speculative-thought-are-our/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [ \[The aim of science is\] to explain what so far has taken to be an explicans, such as a law of nature. The task… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-aim-of-science-is-to-explain-what-so-far-has-taken-to-be-an/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [There can be no ultimate statements science: there can be no statements in science which can not be tested, and therefore none which cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/there-can-be-no-ultimate-statements-science-there-can-be-no/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Evolution is not a fact. Evolution doesn't even qualify as a theory or as a hypothesis. It is a metaphysical research program, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/evolution-is-not-a-fact-evolution-doesn-t-even-qualify-as-a-theory-or/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [I am opposed to looking upon logic as a kind of game. ... One might think that it is a matter of choice or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/i-am-opposed-to-looking-upon-logic-as-a-kind-of-game-one-might-think/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [The history of science, like the history of all human ideas, is a history of irresponsible dreams, of obstinacy, and of error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-history-of-science-like-the-history-of-all-human-ideas-is-a/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Good tests kill flawed theories; we remain alive to guess again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/good-tests-kill-flawed-theories-we-remain-alive-to-guess-again/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [There is no pure, disinterested, theory-free observation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/there-is-no-pure-disinterested-theory-free-observation/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [We have the right not to tolerate the intolerant. We should tolerate even them whenever we can do so without running a great risk;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/we-have-the-right-not-to-tolerate-the-intolerant-we-should-tolerate/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [Better our hypotheses die for our errors than ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/better-our-hypotheses-die-for-our-errors-than-ourselves/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“Every time we proceed to explain some conjectural law or theory by a new conjectural theory of a higher degree of universality, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/every-time-we-proceed-to-explain-some-conjectural-law-or-theory-by-a/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) [Explore all 181 Karl Popper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) ## More Confirmation quotes > [The question for the Republicans running the confirmation hearings in the United States Senate is whose rules are they going to use?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/the-question-for-the-republicans-running-the-confirmation-hearings-in/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins is an essential covenant to make with the Lord. Faith and repentance precede this ordinance. Confirmation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-theodore-tuttle/baptism-by-immersion-for-the-remission-of-sins-is-an-essential/) [A. Theodore Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-theodore-tuttle/) > [The realization that my problem was one that concerned all men, a problem of living and thinking, suddenly swept over me and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-realization-that-my-problem-was-one-that-concerned-all-men-a/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The human understanding, when any preposition has been once laid down... forces everything else to add fresh support and confirmation; and although more cogent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-human-understanding-when-any-preposition-has-been-once-laid-down/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“I was living for one thing only, and that was to confirm my own lack of feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-was-living-for-one-thing-only-and-that-was-to-confirm-my-own-lack/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Instead of using this space to pretend the newly released CIA 'torture' report confirms that the United States is the most evil nation in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-limbaugh/instead-of-using-this-space-to-pretend-the-newly-released-cia-torture/) [David Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-limbaugh/) > [I am not myself free or human until or unless I recognize the freedom and humanity of all my fellowmen... I am truly free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/i-am-not-myself-free-or-human-until-or-unless-i-recognize-the-freedom/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [Had Christ not risen we could not believe Him to be what He declared Himself when He "made Himself equal with God." But He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-warfield/had-christ-not-risen-we-could-not-believe-him-to-be-what-he-declared/) [B. B. Warfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-warfield/) > [I write to withdraw as a nominee to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. ... I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-miers/i-write-to-withdraw-as-a-nominee-to-serve-as-an-associate-justice-on/) [Harriet Miers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-miers/) > [No senator's vote, except for the declaration of war or the authorization for the use of force, is more important than the confirmation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/no-senator-s-vote-except-for-the-declaration-of-war-or-the/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [Even before the hearings that led to confirmation of Chief Justice Roberts, senators were saying they were reserving judgment on how they would vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/even-before-the-hearings-that-led-to-confirmation-of-chief-justice/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [When a spectator approaches a painting with his own particular set of filters or theories, be they historical, political, intellectual or whatever - he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-portway/when-a-spectator-approaches-a-painting-with-his-own-particular-set-of/) [Douglas Portway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-portway/) > [“I have known friendship love, parental love, romantic love, family love and unrequited love in my life time, but the only love that made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-alder/i-have-known-friendship-love-parental-love-romantic-love-family-love/) [Shannon Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-alder/) > [There's no confirmation process for the staffers that the president puts around him at the White House. Those are the people he chooses to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-page/there-s-no-confirmation-process-for-the-staffers-that-the-president/) [Susan Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-page/) > [The prayer of faith is a prayer willing to believe and prevail for God's answer in a situation that is utterly impossible. Regardless of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-l-duewel/the-prayer-of-faith-is-a-prayer-willing-to-believe-and-prevail-for/) [Wesley L Duewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-l-duewel/) [Browse all 222 Confirmation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confirmation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is easy to obtain confirmations, or verifications, for nearly every theory-if we look for confirmations. Confirmations should count only if they are the result of risky predictions... A theory which is not refutable by any conceivable event is non-scientific. 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