Observation is first in science. In science, all is theory, no facts.
Facts are for engineers so they don’t build bridges based on theory.
I observe by ear, that I hear a difference in the given scenario.
There is no reason or ’law’, or ’fact’..that says it will be immediately measurable. Measurement requires that the new or unknown be known enough to figure out how to measure it, and that’s just a starting point. Then it gets complicated (many to most times).
Ergo, facts, laws, and measurements cannot dictate reality to the act of observation..
That’s science. Where observation is king, observation is the first point found or discovered. Observation of difference is in reality, a difference. Quantification is then the issue.
Problem, when it comes: the ear is different between different people. The ear is a individually built physical package where no two are the same. Where no two systems of learning about how to hear and the internal record and system of hearing are the same. All are different. There is as much individualism in hearing as there are individuals.
Next problem encountered, due to the prior problem: Those who may not hear the ’not yet known how to be measured’ thing, or ’observation’, will, in many/some cases, dismiss the observation as hyperbola, lies, manipulations or call it ’snake oil’. Or maybe some lesser level of retorted mistrust of the observation. The nature of individualism and the idea of how a human mind works, makes it so.
Science has to
’fite dem back’, and hold it’s ground against the naysayers who do not hear the observation. Naysayers who decide, empirically, for themselves.. that it is non existent... and then thrust or force that projection upon all others. Ego. Issues of the self vs others.
This is not to say that some manipulate across this area of known vs unknowns, it is a known zone for that sort of behaviour. But this does not say that observation is a lie, either. Dogma is also societal control...so it is highly valued for some. The new observation in science has a way of breaking dogma. It is a hot/contested area in human life.
One must be careful not to invoke the comfort of dogma as a thrust into the unknowns and the new, as that is not science, it is a circular dead end waiting to be lived as a dead automaton. Ie, the death of human growth and evolution.
Science, in observation, has the core duty to make sure that dogma of the text of known things, does not force the future. As that forced future is a circular dead end. The problem comes in the form of people, not science or so on. ’Scientific Laws’ are and where truly designed, from the ground up..for engineering.... and have no place in ’science’. All of science... has only theories. Facts and laws are a good guide for an opening inquiry, and for engineering, ie building things/objects....but it ends there.
The problems encountered are in people, not science. The vagaries of the mental states of humans. The forum wars are a human problem, not a scientific or engineering problem.
Eg, I observe that to me and that to others, painting a graphene solution into certain conductive situations involving audio, makes a difference than can be heard.
Quantifying and measuring that can be a problem. And is.
And that has zero to do with the validity of the observation and one would have to be illiterate or a crank, ie totally anti-science--- to deny that.