Quote: the schema of a science must give a priori the plan of it; but the schema rarely corresponds with the originator's idea or description

Quotation

A science, in the proper acceptation of that term, cannot be formed technically, that is, from observation of the similarity existing between different objects, ... The schema of a science must give a priori the plan of it ..., and the division of the whole into parts, in conformity with the idea of the science; ... But, in the elaboration of the science, [the originator of a science] finds that the schema, nay, even the definition which he first gave of the science, rarely corresponds with his idea; for this idea lies, like a germ, in our reason, its parts undeveloped and hid even from microscopical observation. For this reason, we ought to explain and define sciences, not according to the description which the originator gives of them, but according to the idea which we find based in reason itself, and which is suggested by the natural unity of the parts of the science already accumulated.   Google-1   Google-2

Published before 1923

Additional Titles

Quote: we ought to explain and define a science according to ideas based in reason; as suggested by the natural unity of the parts of the science already accumulated

Related Topics

Group: philosophy of science   (10 topics, 377 quotes)