The process that I want to call scientific is a process…
“The process that I want to call scientific is a process that involves the continual apprehension of meaning, the constant appraisal of significance accompanied by a running act of checking to be sure that I am doing what I want to do, and of judging correctness or incorrectness. This checking and judging and accepting, that together constitute understanding, are done by me and can be done for me by no one else. They are as private as my toothache, and without them science is dead.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Science requires personal, continual self‑assessment of meaning and correctness, a private process essential for understanding.
In simple terms: Science needs personal judgment.
Cultivate self‑reflection in work.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- research
- education
- decision making
- critical thinking
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you ensure objectivity?
- What practices guard against self‑deception?
Self‑assessment can be biased.