Is matter completely observable?

[Geniere]

Originally posted by: ForumMaster... Although scientists have never been able to completly prove the existence of dark matter, it's role is obvious as the "anti-gravity" force that causes our universe to expand...

Its composition is unknown, its existance is certain. Dark matter is not an anti-gravity force, you're thinking of "dark energy".

 

[Netopia]

My take:

God can completely observe everything because of omniscience. He is above uncertainty. This is philosophical.

We cannot directly observe everything because we need to impart some sort of energy to the things we are observing (be it a stream of photons or other energies). At the smallest known levels, we can't even observe matter as matter, but must observe it as waves.

I would say that we cannot observe all matter completely since much is only observed by it's interaction with other things, which (if dealing with only our senses) is like observing what the wind does, even though we can't see the wind itself.

Joe
the neophyte, non-formally educated, neo-wannabe-quantum-physicist in training!

 

[WildHorse]

No.

It's different than Heisenberg uncertainty, which is about influence.

Inherent limitations of the observer prevent "complete" observation. Those limitations may be gradually overcome, so that more of an object can then be observed.

Example: As we observers gradually extend our power of observation through invention of new techniques & new instruments, we as a result discover new properties of the object, which had been there all along.

Illustration: Lettuce leaves contained Vitamin C for millennia, although humans only learned in 1928 that Vitamin C exists.