Our reliance on the validity of a scientific conclusion…
“Our reliance on the validity of a scientific conclusion depends ultimately on a judgment of coherence; and as there can exist no strict criterion for coherence, our judgment of it must always remain a qualitative, nonformal, tacit, personal judgment.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Scientific conclusions are judged by how coherently they fit existing knowledge, a judgment that is inherently subjective.
In simple terms: Science relies on personal, qualitative judgment.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the role of intuition in science.
Themes
epistemology
science
subjectivity
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
academic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- research evaluation
- peer review
- theory development
- policy making
Key Concepts
coherence
judgment
qualitative assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we improve transparency in scientific judgment?
- What safeguards address subjective bias?
A Different Perspective
Coherence lacks a strict, objective metric.