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Full Idea
If we think, in a positivistic spirit, that only measurements and observations exist, this is strikingly naïve. The scientists and their instruments can't be composed merely of measurements.
Gist of Idea
If all that exists is what is being measured, what about the people and instruments doing the measuring?
Source
E.J. Lowe (A Survey of Metaphysics [2002], p.234)
Book Ref
Lowe,E.J.: 'A Survey of Metaphysics' [OUP 2002], p.234
A Reaction
A strong rebuff to crude positivism and 'operationalism'. Such mistakes are the usual confusion of epistemology and ontology.
| 12111 | Positivism is the final state of human intelligence [Comte] |
| 12106 | Positivism gives up absolute truth, and seeks phenomenal laws, by reason and observation [Comte] |
| 7491 | The phases of human thought are theological, then metaphysical, then positivist [Comte, by Watson] |
| 15873 | Laws of nature are just records of regularities and correlations, with concepts to make recording them easier [Mach, by Harré] |
| 15236 | Positivism says science only refers to immediate experiences [Harré/Madden] |
| 3855 | Critics attack positivist division between theory and observation [Newton-Smith] |
| 3854 | Positivists hold that theoretical terms change, but observation terms don't [Newton-Smith] |
| 4222 | If all that exists is what is being measured, what about the people and instruments doing the measuring? [Lowe] |