Experiment and Experience summary (sem 4 unit 1)

Experiment and Experience is a philosophical essay by W.R. Niblett.

Experiment is a methodology for gaining knowledge by discovering hard facts yielded by evidence.

Author talks about how people who have learnt in schools in the twentieth century has learnt this methodology. They have extensively used it as a method of gaining any knowledge. Science is taught by experiment as primary method to students. Everyone has learnt some laws or facts of science by doing some kind of experiment.

Kindly play the video below for summary in Gujarati:

There are some experiments popular and recognizable by most of students like

• to find pH values of given sample
• to study properties of acids and base
• to determine focal length of a concave mirror
• to trace the path of ray of light
• to prepare a temporary mount of a leaf to show stomata
• to analyze effect of difference in mass of an object to its velocity

These kinds of experiments makes a student observant and deductive in nature. It helps him bring out the truths on the nature of world and phenomenons. So, he then uses same methodology while asking questions like: how many people still listen to radio who possesses a television? or What was the Roman catholic birthrate in Australia compared with the protestant in 1959? These questions are not of science but of general knowledge. Still the methodology of experiment can be used here.

Author points out how various other areas also uses this methodology. They are as follow:

• History- to know about way of life of people in certain era
• Art- order of paintings by some artist or their originality
• Literature- how and why certain texts were written
• Music- what is difference between music of two musicians
• Sociology- what are the reasons for certain social situations
• Psychology- why certain behavior is shown by a certain person

Then he talks about characteristics of  experiment. They are as follow:

1. Experiments demand an experimental, analytical frame of mind. That means experimenter should be free of bias and has to be open for unexpected and logical results.
2. Experiments are to be carried out carefully. The details of it should be precise. Experimenter should not have any doubt about any kind of data She is using.
3. Experiment can be repeated any number of times. That means if one uses same data, objects, reactions in same situation anytime the result will be same.
4. Experimenter has to be detached from the experiment itself. She can not interfere in it for desired result. She has to remain distant from affecting the result.
5. Experiments brings out a truth, which can be used by anybody. It adds to our collection of our  knowledge of the world.

Experience is a response to the world and all that is in it.

Experience is undetermined phenomenon. It happens to everybody but there is no singular form we can attribute to it. When we experience something we perceive information, data or feelings through our five sensory organs: nose, ears, eyes, tongue and skin. They help us perceive smell, sound, picture, taste and touch of any object or situation. Our knowledge of it through this can be called experience.

Experiences varies in nature and form. Here are some common examples:

• experience of visiting a new place
• experience of watching a movie
• experience of being sick
• experience of feeling loved
• experience of conversing with friends

Experience has no defined methodology. Here methodology is absent as there no connection or accuracy between experiences perceived by different persons. Following are the characteristics of experience:

1. Experience does not need any particular frame of mind. It just needs mind and sensory organs to be active. Most of time two or three sensory organs are enough for experience.
2. Experience can not be prepared or planned. They happen with people in arbitrary way. That's why experience is considered uncertain.
3. Experience can not be repeated, not even by the same person. As different people have different taste, ideology, situations and past experiences same phenomenon affects them differently. Also, if a same person tries to repeat an experience it will differ to some extent from the first one.
4. Experience is subjective. That means the person is a part of experience. Her beliefs, social background, position in power ladder, mindset, preparations etc makes her part of what she perceives.
5. Experience also brings out a truth, but it adds to the knowledge of the person who has experienced it. He can not pass it fully to others. but this knowledge makes him grow up and shape his personality.

Experiment and experience both are necessary to gain knowledge of the world, people around us and the self. So, we can not use one as substitute for other. Experiment helps us find truth that we can add to out collective knowledge, experience helps us lead life more effectively. Author concludes that both experimental and experiential attitudes are necessary.