Do theories tell us what to see? The 19th-century observations of Darwin, Ramsay and Bonney on glacial features

Abstract

Theories can lead us to omit or minimize certain observations when making an argument, or they may provide insights leading us to alternative arguments. Darwin did not see glacial features on his first visit to North Wales, UK, but on his second visit when he knew about glaciation he then saw it all around him. Glacial theorists such as Ramsay and Bonney discussed the relationship between glacial erosion and lake formation, arguing by analogy and comparison, but Bonney refused to be swayed by Ramsay’s theories, arguing the need for greater evidence and proof.