Every experiment destroys some of the knowledge of the system which was obtained by previous experiments.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Experiments can alter the system being studied, erasing prior knowledge.
- In plain terms
- Testing a system changes it, so you lose what you knew before.
- What can you take from it?
- Measuring something changes it, so past data may no longer apply.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does your method affect your results?
- What knowledge might be lost in testing?
Another view
Not all experiments significantly alter the system being measured.
More from Werner Heisenberg
An expert is someone who knows some of the worst mistakes that can be made in his subject, and how to avoid them.
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