Measurement Outside the Laboratory

Publication date

2005

Authors

Boumans, MarcelORCID 0000-0002-8717-8148ISNI 0000000114741596

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Article
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Abstract

The kinds of models discussed in this paper function as measuring instruments. We will concentrate on two necessary steps for measurement: (1) one should search for a mathematical representation of the phenomenon; (2) this representation about the phenomenon should cover an invariant relationship between properties of the phenomenon to be measured and observable associated attributes of a measuring instrument. Therefore, the measuring instrument should function as a nomological machine. However, invariant relationships are not necessarily ceteris paribus regularities, but could also occur when the influence of the environment is negligible. Then we are able to achieve accurate measurements outside the laboratory.

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Citation

Boumans, M 2005, 'Measurement Outside the Laboratory', Philosophy of Science, vol. 72, no. 5, pp. 850-863.