Nature is objective, and nature is knowable, but we can only view her through a glass darkly-and many clouds upon our vision are of our own making: social and cultural biases, psychological preferences, and mental limitations (in universal modes of thought, not just individualized stupidity).
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Gould notes that while nature is objective, human perception is limited by biases and cultural filters.
- In plain terms
- Nature is knowable but our view of it is clouded by human biases.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize your own biases when studying objective reality.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do biases shape what we see?
- Is pure objectivity possible?
Another view
Acknowledging biases does not eliminate them from our observations.
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