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Science is the century-old endeavour to bring together by…

“Science is the century-old endeavour to bring together by means of systematic thought the perceptible phenomena of this world into as thorough-going an association as possible. To put it boldly, it is the attempt at a posterior reconstruction of existence by the process of conceptualization…” quote by Karl Popper
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“Science is the century-old endeavour to bring together by means of systematic thought the perceptible phenomena of this world into as thorough-going an association as possible. To put it boldly, it is the attempt at a posterior reconstruction of existence by the process of conceptualization. Science can only ascertain what is, but not what should be, and outside of its domain value judgements of all kinds remain necessary.”

Karl Popper

About This Quote

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

Science systematically links observations, but cannot dictate values; ethics remain separate.

In simple terms: Science explains, not tells what to do.

Key Takeaway

Combine scientific insight with ethical reflection.

Themes

science ethics knowledge

Mood

analytical thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • research
  • policy making
  • education
  • technology development

Key Concepts

philosophy of science epistemology

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you integrate values into scientific work?
  • When should ethics override empirical findings?
A Different Perspective

Overreliance on data can ignore moral nuance.

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