more from this thinker     |     more from this text


Single Idea 15880

[filed under theme 14. Science / A. Basis of Science / 1. Observation ]

Full Idea

In the physical sciences the particular observations and experimental results are usually orderable, while in the biological sciences it is the classes of organism which are ordered, not the particular organisms.

Gist of Idea

In physical sciences particular observations are ordered, but in biology only the classes are ordered

Source

Rom Harré (Laws of Nature [1993], 3)

Book Ref

Harré,Rom: 'Laws of Nature' [Duckworth 1993], p.67


A Reaction

Harré is interesting on the role of ordering in science. Functions can be defined by an order. Maths feeds on orderings. Physics, he notes, focuses on things which vary together.


The 8 ideas with the same theme [attempt to neutrally perceive the environment]:

How can you investigate without some preconception of your object? [Sext.Empiricus]
We must observe in order to form theories, but connected observations need prior theories [Comte]
Scientific genius extracts more than other people from the same evidence [James]
In physical sciences particular observations are ordered, but in biology only the classes are ordered [Harré]
A full understanding of 'yellow' involves some theory [Newton-Smith]
Seeing electrons in a cloud chamber requires theory [Williams,M]
The inference to observables and unobservables is almost the same, so why distinguish them? [Lipton]
If theories need observation, and observations need theories, how do we start? [Bird]