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Single Idea 3587

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

Full Idea

Armed with enough theory, we can see electrons in a cloud chamber.

Gist of Idea

Seeing electrons in a cloud chamber requires theory

Source

Michael Williams (Problems of Knowledge [2001], Ch.10)

Book Ref

Williams,Michael: 'Problems of Knowledge' [OUP 2001], p.123

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

6026 How can you investigate without some preconception of your object? [Sext.Empiricus]
12109 We must observe in order to form theories, but connected observations need prior theories [Comte]
22655 Scientific genius extracts more than other people from the same evidence [James]
15880 In physical sciences particular observations are ordered, but in biology only the classes are ordered [Harré]
3858 A full understanding of 'yellow' involves some theory [Newton-Smith]
3587 Seeing electrons in a cloud chamber requires theory [Williams,M]
16851 The inference to observables and unobservables is almost the same, so why distinguish them? [Lipton]
6792 If theories need observation, and observations need theories, how do we start? [Bird]