The thing noticed will only become significant if the mind of the observer either consciously or unconsciously relates it to some relevant knowledge or past experience, or if in pondering on it subsequently he arrives at some hypothesis. Effective spontaneous observation involves firstly noticing some object or event.
On the two types of observation (as found in The Art of Scientific Investigation):Ĭlaude Bernard distinguished two types of observation: (a) spontaneous or passive observations which are unexpected and (b) induced or active observations which are deliberately sought, usually on account of an hypothesis. Aristotle commented that on observing that the bright side of the moon is always toward the sun, it may suddenly occur to the observer that the explanation is that the moon shines by the light of the sun. Sometimes it is possible to draw a line between the noticing and the intuition, e.g. For example, this sort of thing is usually referred to as an observation: “I have noticed that I get hay fever whenever I go near horses.” The hay fever and the horses are perfectly obvious, it is the connection between the two that may require astuteness to notice at first, and this is a mental process not distinguishable from an intuition. Where the sense-perceptual element is relatively unimportant, it is often difficult to distinguish between an observation and an ordinary intuition. In all observations there are two elements : (a) the sense-perceptual element (usually visual) and (b) the mental, which, as we have seen, may be partly conscious and partly unconscious. It is important to realize that observation is much more than merely seeing something it also involves a mental process. Observation is more than visual inputs (as found in The Art of Scientific Investigation): When we are a novice at something, all observations are unexpected and worthy of our attention but as we learn more about a field we become more discerning about that which we consider important and noteworthy. Often observation involves a conscious or unconscious linking to something that we already know, which brings us to an interesting point on how our experiences impact what we deem significant or not. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed.”
For example, you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room.” “Quite so,” he answered, lighting a cigarette, and throwing himself down into an armchair. And yet I believe that my eyes are as good as yours.” “When I hear you give your reasons,” I remarked, “the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously simple that I could easily do it myself, though at each successive instance of your reasoning, I am baffled until you explain your process. In A Scandal in Bohemia, Sherlock Holmes teaches Watson the difference between seeing and observing: Observation is more than simply seeing something, but rather a mental process involving both visual and thought. The difference between seeing and observing is fundamental to many aspects of life. Just because you see does not mean you observe.
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