fallibility

/,fæli'biliti/

Thân thiện

Human beings must accept their own fallibility.

Definition

Noun: The quality or state of being capable of making mistakes or being wrong. It refers to the inherent likelihood of error in human judgment, knowledge, or systems.

Usage

"Fallibility" is an uncountable noun used to describe a general characteristic or condition. It is often discussed in contexts involving human nature, judgment, science, memory, or systems to acknowledge their imperfect nature.

Examples

• The study of history constantly reminds us of the fallibility of human memory.
• A good scientific theory must account for the fallibility of experimental data.
• The legal system, while designed for justice, must operate with an awareness of its own fallibility.
• He accepted his own fallibility and was always open to correcting his views.

Advanced Usage

• Epistemic fallibility: Pertaining to the limitations and potential for error in human knowledge.
  • Philosophers debate the implications of our epistemic fallibility for claims of certainty.
• To acknowledge/recognize one's (own) fallibility: A common phrase indicating the mature acceptance that one can be wrong.
  • A true leader is one who can publicly acknowledge his fallibility.

Variants and Related Words

• Fallible (adjective): Capable of making mistakes or being erroneous.
  • All eyewitnesses are inherently fallible.
• Infallibility (noun): The quality of being incapable of error (the direct opposite).
  • The doctrine of papal infallibility is a key tenet for some.

Synonyms

• Imperfection: The state of being faulty or incomplete.
• Frailty: Weakness, especially in moral character or judgment.
• Limitation: A restriction or defect.

Antonyms

• Infallibility: The quality of being incapable of error.
• Perfection: The condition of being flawless.
• Certainty: Firm conviction that something is the case.

Học thuật

Noun

1. the likelihood of making errors