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Dear Klaus, Thanks. The etymology is useful: the English word "fact" comes from the Latin "factum," -- "thing done," the past participle of "facere": "to do." What you write is so. At the same time, I propose that some aspects of these cases do exist in a world beyond the realm of reasonable controversy. (Though not, as Gunnar points outside, beyond the world of excuses.) It's true that nature knows no facts. Only a knowing individual knows, and what any individual -- or group of individuals -- knows is conditioned by many factors. In part, that is what makes EBM or the Cochrane studies so valuable while some of the principles on which they rest when applied to practice remain open to controversy. Yours, Ken On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:36:24 -0400, Klaus Krippendorff <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >ken, > >since you are so keen on etymology, don't forget that 'fact" derives from >the latin facere, something made -- invented, constructed, and used. > >all facts are made up, often institutionalized in discursive practices. >what you describe as fact (hand washing preventing the transmission of >germs) is constructed on a history of other constructions like germs, >conditions of their reproduction, hygiene, medical practices, etc. they do >not come from nowhere. > >also, all facts are stated in language. unattended nature does not know >facts only present happenings > >see ludwig fleck on the social construction of syphilis whose work gave rise >to thomas kuhn's scientific revolutions. > >klaus