Fact
An individual fact is said to be explained by pointing out its cause, that is, by stating the law or laws of causation, of which its production is an instance.
John Stuart Mill (1862)Facts are "events that occur" or "the state of being of things" that are referred to. Facts exist independent of theory. Scientists do not construct facts, but make observations about things that refer to or represent the facts through theory. Unlike other terms of science, facts in science are similar in definition and interpretation relative to their use in common language. While the term "scientific fact" appears in the literature, facts transcend all human activity such that science cannot lay claim to them. Facts exist in the public domain inasmuch as they exist in science. In the practice and writing of science, however, there are two very broad and even oppositional classes of fact: 1) manifest, and 2) inferential.
Read more about this topic: Evolution As Fact And Theory, Evolution, Fact and Theory
Famous quotes containing the word fact:
“What arouses the indignation of the honest satirist is not, unless the man is a prig, the fact that people in positions of power or influence behave idiotically, or even that they behave wickedly. It is that they conspire successfully to impose upon the public a picture of themselves as so very sagacious, honest and well-intentioned.”
—Claud Cockburn (1904–1981)
“Any genuine philosophy leads to action and from action back again to wonder, to the enduring fact of mystery.”
—Henry Miller (1891–1980)
“Nothing fortifies scepticism more than the fact that there are some who are not sceptics; if all were so, they would be wrong.”
—Blaise Pascal (1623–1662)