80 INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE 



Fortunately these somewhat confusing features of the 

 scientific method may be neglected for the purposes of the 

 present study. Problems of this kind belong to the larger 

 field of the psychology and the physiology of thinking, and 

 no serious difficulties will arise if they are disregarded in 

 accordance with the general principle of isolation. Certainly 

 one can say that the issue as to whether a problematic sit- 

 uation or a general condition of sensitivity constitutes the 

 prior element in reflection is pre-scientific rather than sci- 

 entific. By the time the scientist reaches the stage in which 

 he responds to the delicate situations which one calls sci- 

 entific problems he has already developed a high sensitivity. 

 It seems rather futile, therefore, to ask whether he is sensi- 

 tive because he has recognized the problems, or whether he 

 recognizes the problems because he is sensitive. Further- 

 more, the issue between data and hypotheses as prior 

 elements cannot be settled without a knowledge of the stage 

 of development of the science under consideration. A sci- 

 ence which is still in its infancy emphasizes the collection 

 and arranging of data, though even here one cannot say 

 that these activities take place without regard for anterior 

 meanings and interpretations. On the other hand, a science 

 which has reached maturity adopts explanatory notions 

 very readily and employs them as guides for the selection 

 of data; however, here, again, one must insist that the hy- 

 potheses are not drawn from the blue but are suggested by the 

 data. The only point to be emphasized with reference to 

 this conflict is the fact that data and explanatory concep- 

 tions are not on precisely the same level in science. Theories 

 depend upon data in a way in which data do not depend 

 upon theories. Though one may say that the data are 

 principles on the basis of which he may select theories, 

 and theories are principles on the basis of which he may 

 select data, nevertheless he must acknowledge that data are 

 fixed while theories are flexible. Data may never be re- 

 futed, nor may they be modified to fit theories; theories, 

 on the other hand, are often refuted, and are frequently 



