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Among the objections to the reality of objects of sense…

“Among the objections to the reality of objects of sense, there is one which is derived from the apparent difference between matter as it appears in physics and things as they appear in sensation. Men of science, for the most part, are willing to condemn immediate data as "merely subjective," while…” quote by Betrand Russell
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““Among the objections to the reality of objects of sense, there is one which is derived from the apparent difference between matter as it appears in physics and things as they appear in sensation. Men of science, for the most part, are willing to condemn immediate data as "merely subjective," while yet maintaining the truth of the physics inferred from those data. But such an attitude, though it may be *capable* of justification, obviously stands in need of it; and the only justification possible must be one which exhibits matter as a logical construction from sense-data―unless, indeed, there were some wholly *a priori* principle by which unknown entities could be inferred from such as are known. It is therefore necessary to find some way of bridging the gulf between the world of physics and the world of sense, and it is this problem which will occupy us in the present lecture. Physicists appear to be unconscious of the gulf, while psychologists, who are conscious of it, have not the mathematical knowledge required for spanning it. The problem is difficult, and I do not know its solution in detail. All that I can hope to do is to make the problem felt, and to indicate the kind of methods by which a solution is to be sought." ―from_Our Knowledge of the External World_, p. 107.””

Betrand Russell

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote highlights the gap between physical theories and sensory experience, urging a logical bridge from sense‑data to matter.

In simple terms: Science separates data from reality, needing a method to connect them.

Key Takeaway

Seek ways to unify physics with perception.

Themes

philosophy epistemology science perception methodology

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

analytical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • academic lecture
  • philosophical discussion
  • science education
  • interdisciplinary research

Key Concepts

logical construction sense‑data a‑priori principles

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can we reconcile subjective experience with objective theory?
  • What methods could link sense‑data to physical reality?
A Different Perspective

Bridging the gap may be impossible without new empirical tools.

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