"For the truth of the conclusions of physical science, observation is the supreme Court of Appeal. It does not follow that every item which we confidently accept as physical knowledge has actually been certified by the Court; our confidence is that it would be certified by the Court if it were submitted. But it does follow that every item of physical knowledge is of a form which might be submitted to the Court. It must be such that we can specify (although it may be impracticable to carry out) an observational procedure which would decide whether it is true or not. Clearly a statement cannot be tested by observation unless it is an assertion about the results of observation. Every item of physical knowledge must therefore be an assertion of what has been or would be the result of carrying out a specified observational procedure."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Arthur Eddington, The Philosophy of Physical Science (1938), p. 9
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Observation
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Observation
51 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Observation →
Related Quotes
"Strategy requires thought, tactics require observation."
"The philosophy behind much advertising is based on the old observation that every man is really two men - the man he …"
"If a tree falls in a forest, and no-one is around to hear it, does it make a noise?"
"Whether if soul did not exist time would exist or not, is a question that may fairly be asked; for if there cannot be…"
"Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes unde…"
"A pinch of observation is worth a mountain of hypothesis."
"The great extension of our experience in recent years has brought light to the insufficiency of our simple mechanical…"
"Perceptual reality is different for different species. In certain species it is a mode of observation, so what we cal…"
"Words, as is well known, are the great foes of reality. I have been for many years a teacher of languages. It is an o…"
"To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've fo…"