I use something like this in introductory psychology lab classes.
For the initial example (theory = bucket contains only red balls) you can also introduce an unfalsifiable alternative theory, perhaps something like “bucket contains only red balls but the act of observing them may change their colour”.
That’s not unfalsifiable! Get them out by machine and photograph them before they get looked at. Then when you look at them and they’re red, but the photographs are of blue balls, you’ve nailed it. Observation producing physical effects.
And carry on. As the theories have to squirm to avoid experiments, they’ll slowly approach unfalsifiability and become more and more complex / make fewer and fewer predictions.
I use something like this in introductory psychology lab classes.
For the initial example (theory = bucket contains only red balls) you can also introduce an unfalsifiable alternative theory, perhaps something like “bucket contains only red balls but the act of observing them may change their colour”.
That’s not unfalsifiable! Get them out by machine and photograph them before they get looked at. Then when you look at them and they’re red, but the photographs are of blue balls, you’ve nailed it. Observation producing physical effects.
And carry on. As the theories have to squirm to avoid experiments, they’ll slowly approach unfalsifiability and become more and more complex / make fewer and fewer predictions.
Except in quantum mechanics, where they end up being really simple and explaining everything, but they make your head break.