On the Method of Physics

Abstract

The attempt undertaken in this work, to construct a fully founded theory of time-measurement, is to be understood only against the background of a methodology which has been worked out in detail. Therefore, before the conceptual foundation of a chronometry can come into play, we must illuminate the presuppositions of scientific speech to the extent that they deal with given reality; moreover, we must lay down some rules which are to be ascribed to logic in the broader sense. Logic ‘in the broader sense’ encompasses not only formal rules of deduction, but also rules for the construction of an exact language. In particular, a closed and partially new account will be offered as a solution to the question of the logically and methodologically correct introduction of fundamental distinctions which must already be made for measurements to be possible. This methodology is presented in Section 4 of this chapter.