observable facts

USAGE SUMMARY

"observable facts" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to refer to factual information which can be seen or experienced. For example, "The data analysis team considered the observable facts before making their decision."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

These tokens are our observable facts (observation symbols).

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

A hidden Markov model (HMM) is a probabilistic finite state machine comprising a set of observable facts or observation symbols (also known as output symbols), a finite set of discrete, unobserved (hidden) states, a matrix of transition probabilities between those hidden states, and a matrix of the probabilities with which each hidden state emits an observation symbol [ 24].

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

For example, the discussion of the so-called 'theory-laden' character of observation sentences casts doubts on such notions as "directly observable facts".

SEP

A very valid definition of biography is that it is "a fiction conceived within the bounds of the observable facts".

The Guardian - Books

It is this emphasis on the tangible, the empirically observable facts, rather than some vague "conceptualism", that distinguishes the British art of the past 15 years.

The Guardian - Arts

He and his contemporaries were mindful of Galileo's fate, and Cutler nicely describes how hypotheses were argued with one eye on observable facts and the other on Scripture.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

Both sides are agreed that, to be acceptable, a scientific theory should "save the phenomena"—that is, it should at least be consistent with, and ideally facilitate correct prediction of, such matters of observable fact as may be recorded in reports of relevant observations and, where appropriate, experiments.

Encyclopedia Britannica

This is not a theory but an easily observable fact.

The Economist

It did not explain the observable fact that, notwithstanding continual changes, a total order of specific forms continued to exist.

Encyclopedia Britannica

So tweets from Cairo, such as "OMG, Mubarak's thugs are storming the square on camels!," might provide a thrilling glimpse into events as they were happening, but they are just short communications of observable fact.

The New Yorker

To square that with the observable fact that the universe is expanding, and thus might be expected to get less and less dense as it grows older, the three researchers modestly proposed repealing the law of conservation of matter.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "observable facts", ensure that the context clearly indicates what can be directly observed or measured. This strengthens the credibility of your statement.

Common error

Avoid drawing broad conclusions or making sweeping generalizations based solely on "observable facts" without considering potential confounding variables or alternative explanations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "observable facts" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often serving as the object of a verb or the subject of a sentence. It refers to information that is directly verifiable through observation. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correctly used in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Encyclopedias

30%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, “observable facts” is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in English, as confirmed by Ludwig. It functions as a noun phrase to denote information verifiable through direct observation. The phrase is most commonly found in scientific, news, and encyclopedia contexts, indicating a register ranging from neutral to formal. While not extremely frequent, its use is consistent and appropriate when emphasizing empirical evidence. When using “observable facts”, ensure clear indication of what has been directly observed to bolster credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

empirical evidence

Focuses on the evidence-based aspect, implying data collected through observation or experiment.

verifiable data

Highlights the aspect of being able to confirm the information through observation or testing.

demonstrable truths

Emphasizes the aspect of facts that can be shown or proven to be true.

evident realities

Stresses the readily apparent and undeniable nature of the facts.

objective observations

Highlights the impartiality and lack of bias in the observations.

testable hypotheses

Focuses on the aspect of formulating ideas that can be tested against observable outcomes.

measurable phenomena

Emphasizes that the facts are related to occurrences that can be quantified.

detectable occurrences

Highlights events that can be noticed or discovered.

tangible realities

Emphasizes the physical and concrete nature of the facts.

plain facts

Highlights the simplicity and unadorned nature of the facts.

FAQs

How can I use "observable facts" in a sentence?

You can use "observable facts" to emphasize that a conclusion is based on direct observation, as in "The scientist based their hypothesis on "observable facts" gathered during the experiment".

What are some alternatives to "observable facts"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "empirical evidence", "verifiable data", or "evident realities".

Is it appropriate to use "observable facts" in formal writing?

Yes, "observable facts" is appropriate for formal writing, especially in scientific, academic, or professional contexts where emphasizing empirical evidence is crucial.

What is the difference between "observable facts" and "theoretical assumptions"?

"Observable facts" are based on direct observation and measurement, while theoretical assumptions are ideas or beliefs that are taken to be true without necessarily having direct empirical support.