The theory Ladenness of Observation: A Critical Review

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Imam Khomeini Education And Research Institute

2 Imam Khomeini Educational and Research Institute

Abstract

The issue of determining the relationship between theory and observation, known as "theory-ladenness" of observations, is one of the problems that philosophers of science have attempted to address based on their epistemological and ontological foundations. In this essay, after elucidating the viewpoints of proponents and opponents of the theory ladenness of “observations" and "observational statements”, an effort has been made to discern, with epistemological precision, the various aspects of this issue in terms of different types of knowledge that acquired when confronting sensory reality, and based on this, the arguments of both proponents and opponents are evaluated. The results of this evaluation indicates that the answer to this issue will differ concerning ideas and affirmations. All kinds of ideas abstracted from sensory objects are theory-neutral. However, we should discriminate between affirmations. Because affirmations representing mental ideas are theory-neutral, and all other kinds of affirmations made with observational ideas are theory-laden.

Keywords

Theosophia Practica

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 08 July 2025

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