---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The observer cannot be left out of the…"
description: "\"The observer cannot be left out of the description of the observation.\" — John Archibald Wheeler"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/john-archibald-wheeler-17976_description_the-observer-cannot-be-left-out-of-the-d_1577371.png"
---

#  The observer cannot be left out of the description of the…

![“The observer cannot be left out of the description of the observation.” quote by John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/john-archibald-wheeler-17976_description_the-observer-cannot-be-left-out-of-the-d_1577371.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/john-archibald-wheeler-17976_description_the-observer-cannot-be-left-out-of-the-d_1577371.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/john-archibald-wheeler-17976_description_the-observer-cannot-be-left-out-of-the-d_1577371.png)

> “The observer cannot be left out of the description of the observation.”

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

## About This Quote

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

Observations require a conscious observer to define them.

**In simple terms:** Observation needs an observer.

Key Takeaway

Include perspective in analysis.

Themes

science philosophy observation

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical scientific

When to use this quote

- research
- education
- data interpretation

Key Concepts

quantum theory subjectivity

Questions to Reflect On

- How does observer presence affect data?
- Can objectivity exist without a perceiver?

A Different Perspective

Observer bias can distort results.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Description](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/description/) [Description Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/description-observation-5951682/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Left Description](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-description-5951684/) [Left out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-out/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Observer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observer/) [Observer Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observer-left-5951683/) [Observers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observers/)

## Related quotes

> [An observer situated in a nebula and moving with the nebula will observe the same properties of the universe as any other similarly situated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-bondi/an-observer-situated-in-a-nebula-and-moving-with-the-nebula-will/)

[Hermann Bondi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-bondi/)

> [The observer and the universe are part of the same universe. It's what science discovered at the beginning of this century, when they say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/the-observer-and-the-universe-are-part-of-the-same-universe-it-s-what/)

[Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/)

> [I was always an observer, even as a child. I could be satisfied to sit in a car for 3 hours and just look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-winters/i-was-always-an-observer-even-as-a-child-i-could-be-satisfied-to-sit/)

[Jonathan Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-winters/)

> [I write to be recorder, observer, participant, and sometimes, even judge. I want to engage the world as I see it with my whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-joseph/i-write-to-be-recorder-observer-participant-and-sometimes-even-judge/)

[Allison Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-joseph/)

> [You cant be a casual observer of something humorous - you have to engage, you have to find it funny for the relationship between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-coyle/you-cant-be-a-casual-observer-of-something-humorous-you-have-to/)

[Brendan Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-coyle/)

> [One who can see without seeming to see-- That's an observer as good as three.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-allingham/one-who-can-see-without-seeming-to-see-that-s-an-observer-as-good-as/)

[William Allingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-allingham/)

> [I'm an observer in life, not a participant. That's why I'm a documentarian who looks through a camera. I'm not a touchy-feely person; I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-berlinger/i-m-an-observer-in-life-not-a-participant-that-s-why-i-m-a/)

[Joe Berlinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-berlinger/)

> [I understand so very little. But I am not afraid to look: I am a good observer at last. My eyes are open, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/i-understand-so-very-little-but-i-am-not-afraid-to-look-i-am-a-good/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [Every 'Observer' writer wants to be a novelist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-kushner/every-observer-writer-wants-to-be-a-novelist/)

[Jared Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-kushner/)

> [The observer listens to nature: the experimenter questions and forces her to reveal herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-cuvier/the-observer-listens-to-nature-the-experimenter-questions-and-forces/)

[Georges Cuvier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-cuvier/)

> [I am a committed observer. I like staying in the background and seeing what's going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-trierweiler/i-am-a-committed-observer-i-like-staying-in-the-background-and-seeing/)

[Valerie Trierweiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-trierweiler/)

> [To be a good bodybuilder you must be a good observer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-nubret/to-be-a-good-bodybuilder-you-must-be-a-good-observer/)

[Serge Nubret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-nubret/)

> [The observer is the observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/the-observer-is-the-observed/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [About myself - no. I'm unimportant, an observer, a wandering animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/about-myself-no-i-m-unimportant-an-observer-a-wandering-animal/)

[Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/)

> [In Einstein's theory of relativity the observer is a man who sets out in quest of truth armed with a measuring-rod. In quantum theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/in-einstein-s-theory-of-relativity-the-observer-is-a-man-who-sets-out/)

[Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/)

## More by John Archibald Wheeler

> [“Never make a calculation until you know the answer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/never-make-a-calculation-until-you-know-the-answer/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [Spacetime tells matter how to move; matter tells spacetime how to curve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/spacetime-tells-matter-how-to-move-matter-tells-spacetime-how-to-curve/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [“Never make a calculation until you know the answer. Make an estimate before every calculation, try a simple physical argument (symmetry! invariance! conservation!) before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/never-make-a-calculation-until-you-know-the-answer-make-an-estimate/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [One can only learn by teaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/one-can-only-learn-by-teaching/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [Time, among all concepts in the world of physics, puts up the greatest resistance to being dethroned from ideal continuum to the world of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/time-among-all-concepts-in-the-world-of-physics-puts-up-the-greatest/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [The laws of physics that we regard as 'sacred,' as immutable, are anything but.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/the-laws-of-physics-that-we-regard-as-sacred-as-immutable-are/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [There are many modes of thinking about the world around us and our place in it. I like to consider all the angles from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/there-are-many-modes-of-thinking-about-the-world-around-us-and-our/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/if-you-haven-t-found-something-strange-during-the-day-it-hasn-t-been/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [In order to more fully understand this reality, we must take into account other dimensions of a broader reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/in-order-to-more-fully-understand-this-reality-we-must-take-into/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [I like to say, when asked why I pursue science, that it is to satisfy my curiosity, that I am by nature a searcher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/i-like-to-say-when-asked-why-i-pursue-science-that-it-is-to-satisfy/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> ['Participant' is the incontrovertible new concept given by quantum mechanics. It strikes down the 'observer' of classical theory, the man who stands safely behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/participant-is-the-incontrovertible-new-concept-given-by-quantum/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [We will first understand how simple the universe is when we recognize how strange it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/we-will-first-understand-how-simple-the-universe-is-when-we-recognize/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [I like to think that someone will trace how the deepest thinking of India made its way to Greece and from there to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/i-like-to-think-that-someone-will-trace-how-the-deepest-thinking-of/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [Of all heroes , Spinoza was Einstein 's greatest. No one expressed more strongly then he a belief in the harmony , the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/of-all-heroes-spinoza-was-einstein-s-greatest-no-one-expressed-more/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

> [We are not only observers. We are participators. In some strange sense this is aparticipatory universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/we-are-not-only-observers-we-are-participators-in-some-strange-sense/)

[John Archibald Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

[Explore all 36 John Archibald Wheeler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/)

## More Description quotes

> [Developing fewer features allows you to conserve development resources and spend more time refining those features that users really need. Fewer features mean fewer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-nielsen/developing-fewer-features-allows-you-to-conserve-development/)

[Jakob Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-nielsen/)

> [It is a great delusion to suppose that flesh-meat of any kind is essential to health. Considerably more than three parts of the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-booth/it-is-a-great-delusion-to-suppose-that-flesh-meat-of-any-kind-is/)

[Catherine Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-booth/)

> [“There was a short railway official travelling up to the terminus, three fairly short market-gardeners picked up two stations afterwards, one very short widow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/there-was-a-short-railway-official-travelling-up-to-the-terminus/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [First of all, principles should be general. That is, it must be possible to formulate them without use of what would be intuitively recognized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/first-of-all-principles-should-be-general-that-is-it-must-be-possible/)

[John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/)

> [I already know what things look like - I don't want description. People believe in appearances, and I don't believe in appearances at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-michals/i-already-know-what-things-look-like-i-don-t-want-description-people/)

[Duane Michals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-michals/)

> [Selfish hedonism is not a pejorative. It is a description - an exactly accurate description of what is involved in homosexual relations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/selfish-hedonism-is-not-a-pejorative-it-is-a-description-an-exactly/)

[Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/)

> [Part of my plan was not only to introduce all useful animals that I possibly could into this part of Australia, but also the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-grey/part-of-my-plan-was-not-only-to-introduce-all-useful-animals-that-i/)

[George Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-grey/)

> [The camera is simply not the supple and powerful instrument of description that the pen is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/the-camera-is-simply-not-the-supple-and-powerful-instrument-of/)

[Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/)

> [The word actress has always seemed less a job description to me than a title](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-tierney/the-word-actress-has-always-seemed-less-a-job-description-to-me-than/)

[Gene Tierney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-tierney/)

> [My Calvinism persuades me that we are open to God, in the sense that we are not delimited, not organisms with fixed attributes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/my-calvinism-persuades-me-that-we-are-open-to-god-in-the-sense-that/)

[Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/)

> [Christianity also stands in opposition to intellectual, as well as physical, health. To doubt becomes sin. 'Faith means not wanting to know what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sheaffer/christianity-also-stands-in-opposition-to-intellectual-as-well-as/)

[Robert Sheaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sheaffer/)

> [My tears will keep no channel, know no laws to guide their streams, but like the waves, their cause, run with disturbance till they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleveland/my-tears-will-keep-no-channel-know-no-laws-to-guide-their-streams-but/)

[John Cleveland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleveland/)

> [All I want to say, with the utmost emphasis at my command, is that the description of India as a military country is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/all-i-want-to-say-with-the-utmost-emphasis-at-my-command-is-that-the/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Matter-of-fact descriptions make the improbable seem real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/matter-of-fact-descriptions-make-the-improbable-seem-real/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Discovered W. Somerset Maugham in about 5th grade. Didn't understand the plots, but loved the descriptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-p-kinsella/discovered-w-somerset-maugham-in-about-5th-grade-didn-t-understand/)

[W. P. Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-p-kinsella/)

[Browse all 1,075 Description quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/description/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The observer cannot be left out of the description of the observation.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Archibald Wheeler"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/the-observer-cannot-be-left-out-of-the-description-of-the-observation/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Description"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/the-observer-cannot-be-left-out-of-the-description-of-the-observation/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/john-archibald-wheeler-17976_description_the-observer-cannot-be-left-out-of-the-d_1577371.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/john-archibald-wheeler-17976_description_the-observer-cannot-be-left-out-of-the-d_1577371.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/john-archibald-wheeler-17976_description_the-observer-cannot-be-left-out-of-the-d_1577371.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The observer cannot be left out of the description of the observation.” — John Archibald Wheeler",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Archibald Wheeler",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-archibald-wheeler/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The observer cannot be left out...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/the-observer-cannot-be-left-out-of-the-description-of-the-observation/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-archibald-wheeler/the-observer-cannot-be-left-out-of-the-description-of-the-observation/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
