Hossein Jorjani
First publication: 2026 – 07 – 19
The recognition that complete objectivity may be unattainable should not lead to the conclusion that all disciplines possess the same degree of objectivity. The extent to which the observer influences the observed varies considerably across domains of inquiry.
In many areas of the natural sciences, the objects under investigation remain largely unaffected by human observation. This permits high levels of reproducibility, independent verification, and intersubjective agreement. In other fields, particularly the social sciences and humanities, the reflexive character of human agents and the interpretive nature of many phenomena make complete separation between observer and observed more difficult to achieve.
Objectivity is therefore better understood as a matter of degree rather than as an all-or-nothing property. Different disciplines occupy different positions along a continuum, depending upon the nature of their subject matter and the methods available for investigating it.
Recognizing these differences neither diminishes the scientific status of disciplines with greater observer involvement nor elevates those with less. Rather, it encourages a more nuanced understanding of scientific inquiry, one that acknowledges both the diversity of research domains and the varying conditions under which reliable knowledge can be obtained.
Hossein Jorjani 