?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=In+Defense+of+Experimental+Data+in+a+Relativistic+Milieu&rft.creator=Chow%2C+Siu+L.&rft.subject=Cognitive+Psychology&rft.subject=Philosophy+of+Science&rft.description=The+objectivity+and+utility+of+experimental+data+as+evidential+support+for+knowledge-claims+may+be+found+suspect+when+it+is+shown+that+(a)+the+interpretation+of+experimental+data+is+inevitably+complicated+by+social+factors+like+experimenter+effects%2C+subject+effects+and+demand+characteristics%2C+(b)+social+factors+which+affect+experimental+data+are+themselves+sensitive+to+societal+conventions+or+cultural+values%2C+(c)+all+observations+(including+experimental+observations)+are+necessarily+theory-dependent%2C+and+(d)+experimental+data+have+limited+generality+because+they+are+collected+in+artificial+settings.+These+critiques+of+experimental+data+are+answered+by+showing+that+(i)+not+all+empirical+studies+are+experiments%2C+(ii)+experimental+methodology+is+developed+to+exclude+alternate+interpretations+of+data+(including+explanations+in+terms+of+social+influences)%2C+(iii)+theoretical+disputes+and+their+settlement+take+place+in+the+context+of+a+particular+frame+of+reference%2C+and+(iv)+objectivity+can+be+achieved+with+observations+neutral+to+the+to-be-corroborated+theory+despite+theory-dependent+observations+if+distinctions+are+made+(a)+between+prior+observation+and+evidential+observation+and+(b)+between+a+to-be-corroborated+theory+and+the+theory+underlying+the+identity+of+evidential+response.&rft.date=1995&rft.type=Journal+(Paginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=text%2Fhtml&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F828%2F1%2FRelaMili.htm&rft.identifier=++Chow%2C+Siu+L.++(1995)+In+Defense+of+Experimental+Data+in+a+Relativistic+Milieu.++%5BJournal+(Paginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F828%2F