Measuring the Nonexistent: Validity before Measurement

Abstract

This paper examines the role existence plays in measurement validity. I argue that existing popular theories of measurement and of validity follow a correspondence framework, which starts by assuming that an entity exists in the real world with certain properties that allow it to be measurable. Drawing on literature from the sociology of measurement, I show that the correspondence framework faces several theoretical and practical challenges. I suggested the validity-first framework of measurement, which starts with a practice-based validation process as the basis for a measurement theory, and only posits objective existence when it is scientifically useful to do so.

Epistemic circularity and measurement validity in quantitative psychology: insights from Fechner’s psychophysics

“…12 See, for instance, Borsboom et al (2009) for a criticism of construct validity from within psychometrics; Slaney and Garcia (2015) for a discussion of the use of "construct" language in psychology; Alexandrova and Haybron (2016) for a philosophical critique of the notion of construct validity; Stone (2019), Feest (2020), andZhao (2023) for recent philosophical perspectives. focus on questionnaires and standardized assessments as the only measurement instruments can lead to underappreciate the complex epistemic role of test subjects in the measurement interaction.…”

“… 12 See, for instance, Borsboom et al (2009) for a criticism of construct validity from within psychometrics; Slaney and Garcia (2015) for a discussion of the use of “construct” language in psychology; Alexandrova and Haybron (2016) for a philosophical critique of the notion of construct validity; Stone (2019) , Feest (2020) , and Zhao (2023) for recent philosophical perspectives. …”

The Importance of “Nothingness” in Empirical Science – a Hypothesis

“…The doctrine that the real world and the physical world are identical (physicalism) and the recognition of only scientifically verified facts (positivism) indicate measurability as determining domain of expressing the outcome. Zhao reported that "realized existence" is the precondition for measurement, which in turn is the precondition for validity (Zhao, 2023). This does not necessarily mean that "non-realized" is the same as "not existing."…”