Observation and Subjectivity in Quine

1975 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-127
Author(s):  
Harold Morick
Keyword(s):  
Subject Matter ◽  
Scientific Theory ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Observation Sentence ◽  
Objective Control ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Scientific Hypotheses

“There ceases to be any reason to count awareness as an essential trait of observation.”-from “Stimulus and Meaning”As W. V. Quine sees it we must, in the interests of science, resist “the old tendency to associate observation sentences with a subjective sensory subject matter,” because such sentences are “meant to be the intersubjective tribunal of scientific hypotheses“; observation sentences are meant to be the independent and objective control of scientific theory. Accordingly, Quine has developed a behaviouristic operational definition of an observation sentence for the purpose of dispelling the air of subjectivity which surrounds the notion of observation (WB 19).In this paper I argue that his observation-sentence definition, or criterion, fails to fulfil this purpose. In the first half of the paper (sections 1 and 2), I describe in particular the kind of subjectivism which most worries Quine-what he calls the epistemological nihilism of Hanson, Kuhn and Polanyi-and I then turn to Quine's remedy, his observation criterion.

The Primary/Secondary Quality Distinction: Berkeley, Locke, and the Foundations of Corpuscularian Science

Dialogue ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnold I. Davidson ◽  
Norbert Hornstein
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Theory ◽  
Elementary Particles ◽  
Philosophical Foundation ◽  
Epistemological Foundation ◽  
Secondary Quality ◽  
Quality Distinction ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Post Hoc ◽  
Scientific Hypotheses

Recent interpretations of Locke's primary/secondary quality distinction have tended to emphasize Locke's relationship to the corpuscularian science of his time, especially to that of Boyle. Although this trend may have corrected the unfortunate tendency to view Locke in isolation from his scientific contemporaries, it nevertheless has resulted in some over- simplifications and distortions of Locke's general enterprise. As everyone now agrees, Locke was attempting to provide a philosophical foundation for English corpuscularianism and one must therefore look not only at the current scientific hypotheses but also at the nature of the philosophical foundation Locke was attempting to erect. In particular, Locke made an attempt, based on epistemological principles, to give a philosophical justification of atomistic corpuscularianism. Moreover, he was not content to give this justification post hoc—the epistemological foundation was prior to, and determined the framework for, the details of the correct scientific theory. Locke's epistemology made legitimate an atomistic theory, one making crucial use of the notion of solidity in the definition of the elementary particles, although it did not prejudge the details of this theory.

scholarly journals Regional closure of knowledge transfer in cluster organisations in Western Poland

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (327) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wojciech Dyba
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Subject Matter ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Spatial Proximity ◽  
Geographical Proximity ◽  
Economic Agents ◽  
Spatial Range ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Regional Analyses

In many studies of clusters – currently a topical subject matter of many regional analyses – authors indicate that the spatial proximity of economic agents positively influences the possibility of cooperation and knowledge exchange (both spontaneous and purposeful). However, geographical proximity can be understood differently: it depends on conditions characteristic of countries and regions. In this paper I investigate to what extent knowledge transfer links, created by agents of clusters during formal cooperation, appear within, or reach outside, the administrative regions of Western Poland. To that end, I create an operational definition of “regional closure” with an equation for measuring it. The results prove that although most links in cluster organisations are created within regions (on NUTS-2 and NUTS-3 level), their spatial range depends on the line of business and type of projects implemented by a cluster.

Understanding functional illiteracy from a policy, adult education, and cognition point of view: Towards a joint referent framework

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-122
Author(s):  
Aleksandar Bulajić ◽  
Miomir Despotović ◽  
Thomas Lachmann
Keyword(s):  
Adult Education ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Functional Illiteracy ◽  
Scale Levels ◽  
Components Of Reading ◽  
The One ◽  
Definition Of

Abstract. The article discusses the emergence of a functional literacy construct and the rediscovery of illiteracy in industrialized countries during the second half of the 20th century. It offers a short explanation of how the construct evolved over time. In addition, it explores how functional (il)literacy is conceived differently by research discourses of cognitive and neural studies, on the one hand, and by prescriptive and normative international policy documents and adult education, on the other hand. Furthermore, it analyses how literacy skills surveys such as the Level One Study (leo.) or the PIAAC may help to bridge the gap between cognitive and more practical and educational approaches to literacy, the goal being to place the functional illiteracy (FI) construct within its existing scale levels. It also sheds more light on the way in which FI can be perceived in terms of different cognitive processes and underlying components of reading. By building on the previous work of other authors and previous definitions, the article brings together different views of FI and offers a perspective for a needed operational definition of the concept, which would be an appropriate reference point for future educational, political, and scientific utilization.

“The Unconscious” in Current Psychology

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Norman
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Psychology ◽  
Verbal Report ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
The Unconscious ◽  
Apparent Lack ◽  
Unconscious Processing ◽  
Unconscious Processes ◽  
Intermediate States ◽  
Definition Of

A series of vignette examples taken from psychological research on motivation, emotion, decision making, and attitudes illustrates how the influence of unconscious processes is often measured in a range of different behaviors. However, the selected studies share an apparent lack of explicit operational definition of what is meant by consciousness, and there seems to be substantial disagreement about the properties of conscious versus unconscious processing: Consciousness is sometimes equated with attention, sometimes with verbal report ability, and sometimes operationalized in terms of behavioral dissociations between different performance measures. Moreover, the examples all seem to share a dichotomous view of conscious and unconscious processes as being qualitatively different. It is suggested that cognitive research on consciousness can help resolve the apparent disagreement about how to define and measure unconscious processing, as is illustrated by a selection of operational definitions and empirical findings from modern cognitive psychology. These empirical findings also point to the existence of intermediate states of conscious awareness, not easily classifiable as either purely conscious or purely unconscious. Recent hypotheses from cognitive psychology, supplemented with models from social, developmental, and clinical psychology, are then presented all of which are compatible with the view of consciousness as a graded rather than an all-or-none phenomenon. Such a view of consciousness would open up for explorations of intermediate states of awareness in addition to more purely conscious or purely unconscious states and thereby increase our understanding of the seemingly “unconscious” aspects of mental life.

An Analysis of the Demand for Reporting on Internal Control

2000 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 325-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather M. Hermanson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Individual Investors ◽  
Internal Auditors ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Definition Of

The purpose of this study is to analyze the demand for reporting on internal control. Nine financial statement user groups were identified and surveyed to determine whether they agree that: (1) management reports on internal control (MRIC) are useful, (2) MRICs influence decisions, and (3) financial reporting is improved by adding MRICs. In addition, the paper examined whether responses varied based on: (1) the definition of internal control used (manipulated as broad, operational definition vs. narrow, financial-reporting definition) and (2) user group. The results indicate that financial statement users agree that internal controls are important. Respondents agreed that voluntary MRICs improved controls and provided additional information for decision making. Respondents also agreed that mandatory MRICs improved controls, but did not agree about their value for decision making. Using a broad definition of controls, respondents strongly agreed that MRICs improved controls and provided a better indicator of a company's long-term viability. Executive respondents were less likely to agree about the value of MRICs than individual investors and internal auditors.

Subjective Point of View of a Student on Ways of Subject Matter Structure Creation by the Teacher

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-171
Author(s):  
Denisa Gunišová ◽  
Jana Duchovičová
Keyword(s):  
Subject Matter ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Subjective Perception ◽  
Cognitive Frames ◽  
Teacher Work ◽  
Approach To Teaching ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Level Of Understanding ◽  
Education Process

Authors in this contribution focus on issue of subject matter structure creation by the teacher as an important psycho-didactic domain of education process and how does a student perceive this structure. The aim of the teacher is not only to impart the knowledge to students but also to show them and teach them possible ways of how to understand the subject matter better and how to get to the fundamentals of it. Based on the structure of subject matter created by the teacher a student creates cognitive frames which become basis for his further learning. We pay attention to definition of epistemology of subject matter structure, questions of psycho-didactic approach to teaching, creating structure of subject matter and how does the teacher work with the text. Empirical part of the contribution investigates teachers' preferences of subject matter structure and statistically describes subjective perception of level of understanding of the subject matter by a student influenced by the particular subject matter structure realized by the teacher.

Shape Dynamics and the Linking Theory

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavio Mercati
Keyword(s):  
Phase Space ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Line Element ◽  
Hamiltonian Formulation ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Extended Phase Space ◽  
Extended Phase ◽  
Problem Of Time ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Matter Fields

This chapter explains in detail the current Hamiltonian formulation of SD, and the concept of Linking Theory of which (GR) and SD are two complementary gauge-fixings. The physical degrees of freedom of SD are identified, the simple way in which it solves the problem of time and the problem of observables in quantum gravity are explained, and the solution to the problem of constructing a spacetime slab from a solution of SD (and the related definition of physical rods and clocks) is described. Furthermore, the canonical way of coupling matter to SD is introduced, together with the operational definition of four-dimensional line element as an effective background for matter fields. The chapter concludes with two ‘structural’ results obtained in the attempt of finding a construction principle for SD: the concept of ‘symmetry doubling’, related to the BRST formulation of the theory, and the idea of ‘conformogeometrodynamics regained’, that is, to derive the theory as the unique one in the extended phase space of GR that realizes the symmetry doubling idea.

scholarly journals The scale of effect depends on operational definition of forest cover—evidence from terrestrial mammals of the Brazilian savanna

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Amiot ◽  
Cyntia Cavalcante Santos ◽  
Damien Arvor ◽  
Beatriz Bellón ◽  
Hervé Fritz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Brazilian Savanna ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals ◽  
Scale Of Effect ◽  
Definition Of

scholarly journals Spiritual nursing care: A concept analysis

Curationis ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia V. Monareng
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Care ◽  
Concept Analysis ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
The Body ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Optimal Care ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Definition Of

Although the concept ‘spiritual nursing care’ has its roots in the history of the nursing profession, many nurses in practice have difficulty integrating the concept into practice. There is an ongoing debate in the empirical literature about its definition, clarity and application in nursing practice. The study aimed to develop an operational definition of the concept and its application in clinical practice. A qualitative study was conducted to explore and describe how professional nurses render spiritual nursing care. A purposive sampling method was used to recruit the sample. Individual and focus group interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Trustworthiness was ensured through strategies of truth value, applicability, consistency and neutrality. Data were analysed using the NUD*IST power version 4 software, constant comparison, open, axial and selective coding. Tech’s eight steps of analysis were also used, which led to the emergence of themes, categories and sub-categories. Concept analysis was conducted through a comprehensive literature review and as a result ‘caring presence’ was identified as the core variable from which all the other characteristics of spiritual nursing care arise. An operational definition of spiritual nursing care based on the findings was that humane care is demonstrated by showing caring presence, respect and concern for meeting the needs not only of the body and mind of patients, but also their spiritual needs of hope and meaning in the midst of health crisis, which demand equal attention for optimal care from both religious and nonreligious nurses.

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