Alan F. ChalmersIt would seem that the scientific revolution involved not just a progressive transformation of scientific theory, but also a transformation in what were considered to be the observable facts!
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The scientific revolution involved not just a progressive transformation of scientific theory, but also a transformation in what were considered to be the observable facts! In other words, the new ideas that were being put forth by scientists were no longer considered to be "facts" that could be observed, measured, and described. This is a common idea in science fiction stories where the people of the future have lost the ability to observe and measure things. How can you know what a person or thing is doing when you can't see them? Most likely the concept of a "fact" in science fiction has been influenced by what was known in real life. The idea that people in the future would lose their ability to observe and measure things comes from the fact that human beings have always been limited by their senses. In other words, we can't see into an object, hear into something, taste into something, or feel into any object.
We can only observe it. The ability to observe and measure things has always been limited by human senses. Some people could hear farther than others; some could smell stronger odors; some could taste more bitter tastes; and some could feel more pain than others. All of these differences are based on the standard of measurement used by different people (sizes, sounds, smells). As an example, modern technology has changed how far we could hear.
Originally this was based on how far one could hear with his or her ear lobes. Now it is based on how far one can hear with an electronic device like an electronic hearing aid. This change in measurement system reflects changes that have occurred in the way human beings perceive sound waves and how they use their ears to listen to sound waves. Another way this change has occurred is due to improvements in microscopes, telescopes, and other ways of viewing objects at great distances.
These changes have allowed us to see things further than ever before--even things invisible to our naked eye! However, all of these improvements are also limited by our senses or instruments for seeing and measuring things based on our senses--our eyesight, hearing aids, microscopes , telescopes , etc...