Answers Quote by Percy Williams Bridgman
“If a specific question has meaning, it must be possible to find operations by which an answer may be given to it ... I believe that many of the questions asked about social and philosophical subjects will be found to be meaningless when examined from the point of view of operations.”
About This Quote
The quote argues that questions must be operationally definable; otherwise they are meaningless in scientific analysis.
In simple terms: Questions need measurable answers.
Key Takeaway
Focus on testable problems.
Themes
philosophy
science
logic
Mood
analytical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
academic
When to use this quote
- research design
- policy analysis
- education
- debate
Key Concepts
operationalism
meaningfulness
Questions to Reflect On
- How to handle ethical dilemmas?
- Can meaning exist without measurement?
A Different Perspective
Not all valuable questions are operational.
![“[T]he question "What is everything?" has no meaning, even though it seems to be profound. [...] The point is, perhaps, that I am not looking for a verbal answer, just as when I ask for a kiss, I do not want a piece of paper with "A kiss" written on it. It is rather that metaphysical wonder looks…” quote by Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/705/alan-w-watts-9497_curiosity_t-he-question-what-is-everything-has-no_3984.jpg)
