This paper explores two experiment designs that seek to
determine the extent to which, if at all, observation can be
free from theory. The two designs are compared and found to
be similar in certain ways. One particular feature critical to
both is that they seek to create conditions that compel test
subjects with diverse theoretical backgrounds to resort to bare
observational skills. If judgments made on the basis of these
skills converge, such convergence would provide support for
the view that theory-neutral observations can be had.
