Constructs Quote by Ruth Hubbard
“Scientists construct facts by constantly making decisions about what they will consider significant, what experiments they should pursue, and how they will describe their observations.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Science and Society, 1995
Scientific knowledge is shaped by choices about significance, experimental direction, and narrative framing.
In simple terms: Science is guided by decisions.
Key Takeaway
Be aware of biases in research design.
Themes
science
bias
decision‑making
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- grant proposals
- lab meetings
- peer review
- policy advice
Key Concepts
epistemology
methodology
interpretation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide what is significant?
- What narratives shape your data interpretation?
A Different Perspective
Focusing on significance may overlook unexpected findings.
![“[The scientist] believes passionately in facts, in measured facts. He believes there are no bad facts, that all facts are good facts, though they may be facts about bad things, and his intellectual satisfaction can come only from the acquisition of accurately known facts, from their organization…” quote by Robert Watson-Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0c6/robert-watson-watt-62021_acquisition_the-scientist-believes-passionately-in-f_2763153.jpg)
