Definitions: (1) free from prejudicial personal feelings or opinions; eminently fair; unbiased; right-minded; (2) external to the mind and distinct from inner or imaginary feelings and thoughts; actual phenomena; real; (3) The actual, correct, and exact truth; (4) a purposeful goal one’s efforts are intended to attain or accomplish; target
See also: Realistic
Quotes:
• Objectivity does not mean detachment, it means respect; that is, the ability not to distort and to falsify things, persons, and oneself. — Erich Fromm (1900-1980) German-American Jewish social psychologist
• The scientist’s job is to explore everything, no matter the difficulties! We need to stay open, to accept ambiguity, attempt to fuse with the object of knowledge, admit that there are values shot through the whole enterprise – to love it and to work toward discovering the values by which we live, work to enact those values in the world, explore – and more than that – to create! — Kim Stanley Robinson (1952-) Green Mars {1993}
Reflection: It is a most difficult thing to be truly objective. We look at the world through our own subjective experiential view. To those who do not experience the wisdom of a larger view, statements like “Love your enemy” are truly baffling. The only reason to even consider that statement as reasonable is if you believe Christ was genuinely objective.
Observations:
• An astute observer must have a keen sense of insight into motivation if he or she is to explain their actions of others.
• Curiosity and wonder are two of the positive qualities we use when we take the time and effort to seek the objective truth.
• Objectivity works best on the factual level. The physical sciences thrive on objective experimentation. Observation can be reproduced. If another person performs the same experiment with the same results, we call it true. But as soon as an opinion arises from the facts, the possibility of conflict also arises.
• What would the scientific approach be if it did not include the more etheric qualities? A scientist must, at least, have integrity and be honest, curious, exact, efficient, and proficient. These qualities allow the experiment to be conducted in the first place. These qualities are the backbone allowing the observer (and the public) to believe the results are valid.
Tips:
• Solicit multiple subjective views.
• Give yourself permission to hold your current point of view. Remember you are a sincere and reasonable person. And, if need be, give yourself permission to change to another position as your open-mindedness and open-heartedness allow you to find new ground where you can comfortably stand.
Comments:
• On the absolute level there are absolute truths. These are knowable only by Objective Beings. And yet we can conceptualize the concepts of absolute, universal, and infinite.
• Objective reality can be described in two ways:
The first is true objective reality, that is, reality that is indisputably from The Objective point of view. It remains objective no matter how things change – and things do change within finite reality.
The second type of objective reality is collective subjective reality. The agreement of the group is a tentative and temporary objective reality. This is the collective consciousness or a social reality.
The qualities we experience are existential. We subjectively correlate our experience of the world to what we know as personal reality. We communicate to others to verify our point of view with their subjective reality and their personal experience. When there is agreement, we call it objective. Therefore, subjective reality can align with either true or collective objective reality.