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Thursday, July 26, 2018
Photo source: Wikimedia Commons, Wellcome Collection
Photo license: CC BY 4.0
What is an observation? Here is my definition:
An observation is a perception that is recorded or attentively noticed
I believe that some observations are not recorded. This occurs when an instance is attentively noticed. For example, imagine that you are at a restaurant and you notice that the menu only has foods starting with the letter 'w'. I believe this is an observation because it requires a higher level of attention.
I also believe that observation is necessary for scientific experiments. Merely sitting back and letting the results pass by without storing them, is not an adequate way to do science. By not recording results, there is a risk that the original perception could become distorted in one's memory.
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
