A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation

David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16

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A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation

David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones

Published in International Journal of Philosophy (Volume 10, Issue 3)

Received: 22 August 2022 Accepted: 5 September 2022 Published: 16 September 2022

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Abstract

Within scientific speeches, especially those by science students, expressions that synonymize the terms see and observe are frequent. That would imply that a blind person would be unable to make observations, a mistake that is made when trying to emphasize that something is being watched closely or inspected with certain intention, hence, observing. However, the term observation, does not derive etymologically from visual perception but from conserve, which in turn derives from servare, as observare, meaning: to look out, guard, save. Moreover, besides comprising other forms of perception such as hearing, smell, touch, observing in scientific (epistemological) terms consists rather of an inferential process coupled to the perception, that remarks or highlights something, i.e., a relation, a pattern, a constancy, a regularity, or a tendency, etc., detected in data or while inspecteing a phenomenom. In this way, observation in the sense of an element of Scientific Method implies a logical action that recognizes, within a heuristic process, that something is missing in the available theory (research problem), or that indicates evidence for or against theoretical premises or hypotheses. The ambigüity in the use of the term observe has an inertia that permeates even the speech of science philosophers. However, to science students it represents an ethical challenge to identify and correct this type of ambigüities during their scientific endeavour which can be better approached with an adequate philosophical background.

Published in	International Journal of Philosophy (Volume 10, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16
Page(s)	122-125
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Deduction, Induction, Inference, Perception, Scientific Method

References

[1]	Abbagnano, N. (1996). Diccionario de filosofía [Dictionary of Philosophy]. Fondo de Cultura Económica, México. 1206 p.
[2]	Bunge, M. (1978). La ciencia, su método y su filosofía [Science, its method and its philosophy]. Ed. Quinto Sol.
[3]	Cambridge Dictionary (2022). http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english. Consulted on August 04, 2022.
[4]	Chalmers, A. (1982). “Qué es esa cosa llamada ciencia” [What is that Thing Called Science] Ed. Siglo XXI. Mexico, D. F. 245 p.
[5]	Coromines, J. (2008). Breve diccionario etimológico de la lengua castellana [Short etymological dictionary]. Ed. Gredos. Madrid.
[6]	Feyerabend, P. (1975). Against Method. London, New Left Books.
[7]	Pérez Tamayo, R. (1993). “Existe el Método Científico” [Does the Scientific Method Exists?] F. C. E., México. 230 p.
[8]	Popper, K. R. (1962). La lógica de la investigación científica [The Logic of Scientific Research]. Tecnos, Madrid, España. 451 p.
[9]	Popper, K. (1972). Conocimiento Objetivo [Objective Knowledge]. Ed. Tecnos. Madrid.
[10]	RAE (2022). https://dle.rae.es/observar?m=form. Consulted on August 04, 2022.
[11]	Siqueiros Beltrones, D. A. & M. Jaime. (2015). Ensayos en filosofía científica [Essays on Scientific Philosophy]. CICIMAR-Oceánides, IPN. CdMx, México. 195 p. ISBN: 978-970-94-2953-4.
[12]	Siqueiros Beltrones, D. A., O. U. Hernández Almeida & Y. J. Martínez. (2017). La elaboración de hipótesis científica en estudios ficológicos [Constructing scientific hypothesis in phycological studies]. Cymbella, 3 (2): 32-37.
[13]	Siqueiros Beltrones, D. A. (2021). Considering the use of null hypothesis in marine biology scientific research. Ludus Vitalis, 29 (55): 13-21.
[14]	Siqueiros Beltrones, D. A. (2022). Gnothi seauton (Know Thyself) an Essay on the Philosophy of Scientific Research for Science Students. International Journal of Philosophy. 10 (3): 101-104. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.12.
[15]	Theocharis, T. & M Psimopoulos. (1987). Where science has gone wrong. Nature, 329: 595-598.

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David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones. (2022). A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation. International Journal of Philosophy, 10(3), 122-125. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16

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David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones. A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation. Int. J. Philos. 2022, 10(3), 122-125. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16

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David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones. A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation. Int J Philos. 2022;10(3):122-125. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16

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@article{10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16,
  author = {David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones},
  title = {A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation},
  journal = {International Journal of Philosophy},
  volume = {10},
  number = {3},
  pages = {122-125},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijp.20221003.16},
  abstract = {Within scientific speeches, especially those by science students, expressions that synonymize the terms see and observe are frequent. That would imply that a blind person would be unable to make observations, a mistake that is made when trying to emphasize that something is being watched closely or inspected with certain intention, hence, observing. However, the term observation, does not derive etymologically from visual perception but from conserve, which in turn derives from servare, as observare, meaning: to look out, guard, save. Moreover, besides comprising other forms of perception such as hearing, smell, touch, observing in scientific (epistemological) terms consists rather of an inferential process coupled to the perception, that remarks or highlights something, i.e., a relation, a pattern, a constancy, a regularity, or a tendency, etc., detected in data or while inspecteing a phenomenom. In this way, observation in the sense of an element of Scientific Method implies a logical action that recognizes, within a heuristic process, that something is missing in the available theory (research problem), or that indicates evidence for or against theoretical premises or hypotheses. The ambigüity in the use of the term observe has an inertia that permeates even the speech of science philosophers. However, to science students it represents an ethical challenge to identify and correct this type of ambigüities during their scientific endeavour which can be better approached with an adequate philosophical background.},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation
AU  - David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones
Y1  - 2022/09/16
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16
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T2  - International Journal of Philosophy
JF  - International Journal of Philosophy
JO  - International Journal of Philosophy
SP  - 122
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AB  - Within scientific speeches, especially those by science students, expressions that synonymize the terms see and observe are frequent. That would imply that a blind person would be unable to make observations, a mistake that is made when trying to emphasize that something is being watched closely or inspected with certain intention, hence, observing. However, the term observation, does not derive etymologically from visual perception but from conserve, which in turn derives from servare, as observare, meaning: to look out, guard, save. Moreover, besides comprising other forms of perception such as hearing, smell, touch, observing in scientific (epistemological) terms consists rather of an inferential process coupled to the perception, that remarks or highlights something, i.e., a relation, a pattern, a constancy, a regularity, or a tendency, etc., detected in data or while inspecteing a phenomenom. In this way, observation in the sense of an element of Scientific Method implies a logical action that recognizes, within a heuristic process, that something is missing in the available theory (research problem), or that indicates evidence for or against theoretical premises or hypotheses. The ambigüity in the use of the term observe has an inertia that permeates even the speech of science philosophers. However, to science students it represents an ethical challenge to identify and correct this type of ambigüities during their scientific endeavour which can be better approached with an adequate philosophical background.
VL  - 10
IS  - 3
ER  -

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Author Information

David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones

Department of Plankton and Marine Ecology, Interdisciplinary Center of Marine Sciences, National Politechnique Institute, La Paz, Mexico

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APA Style

David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones. (2022). A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation. International Journal of Philosophy, 10(3), 122-125. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16

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ACS Style

David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones. A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation. Int. J. Philos. 2022, 10(3), 122-125. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16

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AMA Style

David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones. A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation. Int J Philos. 2022;10(3):122-125. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16

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@article{10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16,
  author = {David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones},
  title = {A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation},
  journal = {International Journal of Philosophy},
  volume = {10},
  number = {3},
  pages = {122-125},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijp.20221003.16},
  abstract = {Within scientific speeches, especially those by science students, expressions that synonymize the terms see and observe are frequent. That would imply that a blind person would be unable to make observations, a mistake that is made when trying to emphasize that something is being watched closely or inspected with certain intention, hence, observing. However, the term observation, does not derive etymologically from visual perception but from conserve, which in turn derives from servare, as observare, meaning: to look out, guard, save. Moreover, besides comprising other forms of perception such as hearing, smell, touch, observing in scientific (epistemological) terms consists rather of an inferential process coupled to the perception, that remarks or highlights something, i.e., a relation, a pattern, a constancy, a regularity, or a tendency, etc., detected in data or while inspecteing a phenomenom. In this way, observation in the sense of an element of Scientific Method implies a logical action that recognizes, within a heuristic process, that something is missing in the available theory (research problem), or that indicates evidence for or against theoretical premises or hypotheses. The ambigüity in the use of the term observe has an inertia that permeates even the speech of science philosophers. However, to science students it represents an ethical challenge to identify and correct this type of ambigüities during their scientific endeavour which can be better approached with an adequate philosophical background.},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - A Caveat for Science Students on the Misuse of the Term Observation When Referring to Scientific Observation
AU  - David Alfaro Siqueiros Beltrones
Y1  - 2022/09/16
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16
T2  - International Journal of Philosophy
JF  - International Journal of Philosophy
JO  - International Journal of Philosophy
SP  - 122
EP  - 125
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7455
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20221003.16
AB  - Within scientific speeches, especially those by science students, expressions that synonymize the terms see and observe are frequent. That would imply that a blind person would be unable to make observations, a mistake that is made when trying to emphasize that something is being watched closely or inspected with certain intention, hence, observing. However, the term observation, does not derive etymologically from visual perception but from conserve, which in turn derives from servare, as observare, meaning: to look out, guard, save. Moreover, besides comprising other forms of perception such as hearing, smell, touch, observing in scientific (epistemological) terms consists rather of an inferential process coupled to the perception, that remarks or highlights something, i.e., a relation, a pattern, a constancy, a regularity, or a tendency, etc., detected in data or while inspecteing a phenomenom. In this way, observation in the sense of an element of Scientific Method implies a logical action that recognizes, within a heuristic process, that something is missing in the available theory (research problem), or that indicates evidence for or against theoretical premises or hypotheses. The ambigüity in the use of the term observe has an inertia that permeates even the speech of science philosophers. However, to science students it represents an ethical challenge to identify and correct this type of ambigüities during their scientific endeavour which can be better approached with an adequate philosophical background.
VL  - 10
IS  - 3
ER  -

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