Passive and Active Observation
It is usual to say that the two sources of experience are Observation and Experiment. When we merely note and record the phenomena which occur around us in the ordinary course of nature we are said to observe. When we change the course of nature by the intervention of our will and muscular powers, and thus produce unusual combinations and conditions of phenomena, we are said to experiment. [Sir John] Herschel has justly remarked that we might properly call these two modes of experience passive and active observation. In both cases we must certainly employ our senses to observe, and an experiment differs from a mere observation in the fact that we more or less influence the character of the events which we observe. Experiment is thus observation plus alteration of conditions.
Notes:
The difference between noting phenomena and experimenting with them.
Folksonomies: observation experimentation
Taxonomies:
/science/phyiscs/atomic physics (0.444943)
/technology and computing/consumer electronics/camera and photo equipment/telescopes (0.351105)
/science/social science/history (0.193547)
Keywords:
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Entities:
Sir John] Herschel:Person (0.979194 (positive:0.360093))
Concepts:
Observation (0.980906): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Hypothesis (0.968664): dbpedia | freebase
Science (0.867051): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Philosophy of science (0.833473): dbpedia | freebase
Phenomenon (0.777440): dbpedia | freebase
Nature (0.777440): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Empiricism (0.725208): dbpedia | freebase
Theory (0.688778): dbpedia | freebase
Principles of Science: A Treatise on Logic and Scientific MethodTriples
Passive Observation Versus Experimentation
Reason Requires Experimentation > Similarity > Passive and Active ObservationKant and Jevons both speak on this subject.
Schemas
Science Reveals the World Beyond Our Senses
Microscopes, X-Rays, Telescopes, and other instruments reveal the hidden world we cannot see with our five senses. Science increases what we can know beyond our physical limitations.
