Full Idea
The central claim of Percy Bridgman's theory of operational definitions (1920s), is that definitions of certain scientific concepts are given by the ways that we have to measure them. For example, a straight line is 'the path of a light ray'.
Gist of Idea
Operationalism defines concepts by our ways of measuring them
Source
Edwin D. Mares (A Priori [2011], 02.9)
Book Reference
Mares,Edwin: 'A Priori' [Acumen 2011], p.31
A Reaction
It is often observed that this captures the spirit of Special Relativity.