Data Quote by Ernest Sosa
“There is no need for the scientist to go into whether an observation was made, nor into the who, what, when, or where. The data on which scientific theorizing is based are rather the propositional contents of the instrument readings recorded, or the facts detected thereby.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Knowledge and Truth in Philosophy of Science, 1995
Scientific theory should focus on data itself, not on the story behind how the data were gathered.
In simple terms: Focus on data, not backstory.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize empirical evidence.
Themes
epistemology
methodology
science
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
philosophical
methodological
When to use this quote
- research design
- data analysis
- theory building
Key Concepts
propositional logic
instrumentalism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance data focus with awareness of collection methods?
- When does context become essential?
A Different Perspective
Neglecting context can hide biases in measurement.
![“[Brazil] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data sovereignty."” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/af7/edward-snowden-555_brazil_brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-n_14906.jpg)
