[mcv]

Math is itself indeed not science. It is the language of science. It follows different rules than empirical sciences. But note that word "empirical" there; Popper was really only talking about empirical science, and according to him, that was the only real science. You could argue that there are non-empirical sciences.

Another problem with Popper is probably that outside of physics and chemistry, there are a lot of less exact sciences where predictions and refutations of a theory are never that clear cut. Like his issues with the theory of evolution.

Ultimately, I guess science is also simply "getting to stuff that works by trial and error".

[ukj]

Ok… I reject your reality and substitute my own.

In this reality I don’t have to do the mental gymnastics where the formal *sciences* aren’t sciences.

In this reality there is at least one unfalsifiable (not even in principle) true claim: the halting problem

This renders falsifiability as a modal criterion. Useful in some scientific contexts - useless in others.