In fact, in much of microphysics what is called observation is often the effects of machine technologies, a reading of effects. But the reading is theory-laden. Which means pure description based on observation is not possible. Scientists require other tools such as machines and mathematics, and infer what they see from what they believe. Our observations are not merely encodings of our prior beliefs.
Every scientist knows that even our best-confirmed theories are in general only approximate truths.
Epistemology at this rarefied level may not have many political implications, but it is a fascinating and important part of the human struggle to know the truth about the universe in which we live. Stanley Aronowitz is the author of Science as Power and, most recently, The Death and Rebirth of American Radicalism . Alan Sokal is a professor of physics at New York University. Inc. Readers may redistribute this article to other individuals for noncommercial use, provided that the text, all HTML codes, and this notice remain intact and unaltered in any way. This article may not be resold, reprinted, or redistributed for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from the author.