Observation
"Observations" redirects here. For the travel book, see Observations (Pierre Belon). For other uses, see Observation (disambiguation). An observer is someone who gathers information about a phenomenon, but does not intervene. (Observing the air traffic in Rõuge, Estonia) Observation is the active acquisition of information from a primary source. In living beings, observation employs the senses. In science, observation can also involve the recording of data via the use of scientific instruments. The term may also refer to any data collected during the scientific activity. Observations can be qualitative, that is, only the absence or presence of a property is noted, or quantitative if a numerical value is attached to the observed phenomenon by counting or measuring. Contents 1 Science 2 Paradoxes 3 Biases 3.1 Confirmation bias 3.2 "Cargo cult" science 3.3 Processing bias 3.4 Observational bias 4 Philosophy 5 See al