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Theory Quotes

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Theory Quotes

“Facts per se can neither prove nor refute anything. Everything is decided by the interpretation and explanation of the facts, by the ideas and the theories.”

Ideas Facts Theory Prove Decided Explanation Interpretation

Book:Socialism - An Economic and Sociological Analysis: The Economist

Source: Socialism - An Economic and Sociological Analysis: The Economist

“We must nevertheless present all possible interpretations for each observation, so that competing theories can be formulated and defended. In science, as elsewhere, intellectual inertia, the fashions of the moment, the weight of institutions, and authoritarianism are always to be feared. Heresies play an essential role by keeping our minds argumentative and alert.”

Mind Play Moments Roles Fashion Theory Essentials Intellectual Weight Institutions Observation Interpretation Elsewhere Nevertheless Competing Heresy Authoritarianism Inertia

Author:Hubert Reeves

“Christian scholars often say that Sufi theories are close to those of Christianity. Many Moslems maintain that they are essentially derived from Islam. The resemblance of many Sufi ideas to those of several religious and esoteric systems are sometimes taken as evidence of derivation. The Islamic interpretation is that religion is of one origin, differences being due to local or historical causes.”

Ideas Sometimes Christian Causes Differences Religious Christianity Taken Theory Evidence Historical Islam Dues Locals Islamic Interpretation Scholar Sufi Resemblance Esoteric

Book:The Elephant in the Dark

Source: The Elephant in the Dark

“a really good play is ambiguous - which is exactly why it endures. Every succeeding generation develops theories about it. The play's words provide very little clue. On the contrary, words are notoriously imprecise and open to every kind of interpretation, so you must search.”

Kind Littles Play Generations Theory Succeed Theater Endure Contrary Interpretation Clue Ambiguous

Author:Glenda Jackson

“Philosophers have actually devoted themselves, in the main, neither to perceiving the world, nor to spinning webs of conceptual theory, but to interpreting the meaning of the civilizations which they have represented, and to attempting the interpretation of whatever minds in the universe, human or divine, they believed to be real.”

World Mind Humans Real Universe Divine Theory Civilization Philosophical Philosopher Interpretation Being Real Devoted Attempting Spinning Interpreting

Book:Josiah Royce: Selected Writings

Source: Josiah Royce: Selected Writings

“It is clear that everybody interested in science must be interested in world 3 objects. A physical scientist, to start with, may be interested mainly in world 1 objects--say crystals and X-rays. But very soon he must realize how much depends on our interpretation of the facts, that is, on our theories, and so on world 3 objects. Similarly, a historian of science, or a philosopher interested in science must be largely a student of world 3 objects.”

World May Facts Language Realizing Clear Objects Students Theory Depends Scientist Philosopher Interpretation Historian Rays Crystals Subjectivity

Book:Unended Quest: An Intellectual Autobiography

Source: Unended Quest: An Intellectual Autobiography

“A geometrical theory in physical interpretation can never be validated with mathematical certainty ... ; like any other theory of empirical science, it can acquire only a more or less high degree of confirmation.”

Theory Degrees Certainty Mathematical Acquire Interpretation Confirmation

Book:The Philosophy of Carl G. Hempel: Studies in Science, Explanation, and Rationality

Source: The Philosophy of Carl G. Hempel: Studies in Science, Explanation, and Rationality

“Kantian ethical theory distinguishes three levels: First, that of a fundamental principle (the categorical imperative, formulated in three main ways in Kant's Groundwork); second, a set of duties, not deduced from but derived from this principle, by way of its interpretation or specification, its application to the general conditions of human life - which Kant does in the Doctrine of virtue, the second main part of the Metaphysics of Morals; and then finally an act of judgment, through which these duties are applied to particular cases.”

“Really the best way to learn about something is simply to read it and not make a scientific theory of interpretation.”

Way Theory Best Way Interpretation Scientific Theory

Author:Mark Helprin