William: We may at times believe before we see. At one time, persons
believed in unicorns. Their belief didn't help them see unicorns. So few
unicorns were seen in spite of the belief that few of us any longer believe
that we will see a unicorn. Following the invention of the microscope
persons saw things they had no way of believing or imagining - they had to
look at what was in the water of the Thames etc. through the microscope.
It's not all one way.
Geoff C
From: William Conger <[email protected]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Science and Art
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:22:01 -0800 (PST)
Nobody observes just what comes before their eyes. We have chosen what to
see even before we see it. We construct our vision. We select and make.
The geologist in the field takes his beliefs with him. He sees what he
believes and sometimes he sees something he wish there was more evidence to
help justify or refute (alter) his belief.
You just can't give up a faulty assumption, Cheerskep.
WC
--- On Fri, 12/19/08, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:
> From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: Science and Art
> To: [email protected]
> Date: Friday, December 19, 2008, 2:06 PM
> Geoff -- I don't think you and I basically disagree. I
> was trying to suggest
> that activity most of us would be ready to call
> "science" always originates
> with observations -- but there's variation in
> scientists' aims when they start
> "looking". In other words, they don't always
> have a hypothesis they are trying
> to confirm. Sometimes the astronomer "idly"
> scanning the skies, the geologist
> or zoologist in the field, and others, are just observing
> whatever comes under
> their eyes. If they are of a certain turn of mind, they
> can't help trying to
> "account for" what they see. A
> "pattern" may suggest a hypothesis, and then
> the more rigid, "controlled" observation rules of
> "scientific method" to test
> the hypothesis kick in. But one way or another,
> observations always come
> first. Prior to every hypothesis there were observations --
> even in Einstein's
> case.
>
>
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