Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, or balancing
Science deals with observations of the real world — obtained via the use of our senses — which we can define, record, measure, and quantify or order. Record means to capture data in a physical medium that is amenable to measurements and does not simply refer to the notes of an observer.
In order to be useful, each model of a real-world phenomenon must be consistent for all observers. From the imperative demand for consistency, then, comes the requirement for measurements. Measurements compare observations with standards, creating what science calls facts. In this context, the terms “measurements” and “facts” become interchangeable. They are what scientists and philosophers call a posteriori, meaning “after the fact” or “from experience.” Making measurements, showing consistency, and sharing results are all scientific processes that assure objectivity. Science thus becomes the objective branch of human knowledge.
Put another way, the act of measuring, the grading of observations according to standards, and the use of precision in language are processes necessary to achieving objectivity: the separation of observations from perception processes. [CrossFit, 200401]