The well known philosopher, Thomas Nagel, called science the “view from nowhere.” That’s to say, the scientist takes herself out of the world she’s studying so that she’s nowhere in that world. Of course, as a human being she’s somewhere; either in a lab agonizing over the bacterial culture or staring at some equations or fixing bugs in a program, but the scientific “veil of ignorance” prevents her from inserting her actual location in space and time into her scientific investigation. As far as her investigation goes, the bacteria could be in front of her, in the room next door or under the microscope halfway across the world.
Objectivity: Newsletter 42
Objectivity: Newsletter 42
Objectivity: Newsletter 42
The well known philosopher, Thomas Nagel, called science the “view from nowhere.” That’s to say, the scientist takes herself out of the world she’s studying so that she’s nowhere in that world. Of course, as a human being she’s somewhere; either in a lab agonizing over the bacterial culture or staring at some equations or fixing bugs in a program, but the scientific “veil of ignorance” prevents her from inserting her actual location in space and time into her scientific investigation. As far as her investigation goes, the bacteria could be in front of her, in the room next door or under the microscope halfway across the world.