Most of the apparently difficult measurements, however, involve indirect deductions and inferences. We need to infer something “unseen” from something “seen.” Eratosthenes couldn’t directly see the curvature of Earth, but he could deduce it from shadows and the knowledge that Earth was roughly spherical. Emily Rosa could not directly measure how therapeutic touch allegedly heals, but she could conduct an experiment to test a prerequisite claim (the therapist would at least have to detect an energy field to support the claim that this healing method worked). And she didn’t lament not having
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