# Do all observations arise from probability distributions?

Below is the quote from Karl Pearson in the book: “The Lady Tasting Tea: How Statistics Revolutionized Science in the Twentieth Century” by David Salsburg:

Over a hundred years ago, Karl Pearson proposed that all observations arise from probability distributions and that the purpose of science is to estimate the parameters of those distributions. Before that, the world of science believed that the universe followed laws, like Newton’s laws of motion, and that any apparent variations in what was observed were due to errors. Gradually, Pearson’s view has become the predominant one.

My question is on the use of the word observation. Does the above quote imply that any data we collect or observe in nature/physics/experiments arise from probability distribution? How about deterministic process, which surely in not probabilistic? Any expansion of the above quote for lay person would be very helpful.

$$heighti=α+βagei+εi \mathsf{height}_i = \alpha + \beta \,\mathsf{age}_i + \varepsilon_i$$