In our description of nature the purpose is not to disclose the real essence of the phenomena but only to track down, so far as it is possible, relations between the manifold aspects of our experience.

Bohr is articulating a core theme of his philosophy of quantum mechanics: physics is not a direct unveiling of “what nature is in itself,” but a disciplined way of organizing and relating what we can observe and communicate. Especially in quantum phenomena—where measurement conditions affect what can be said—Bohr stresses that scientific concepts function as tools for connecting experiences (experimental outcomes) rather than mirrors of an underlying essence. The quote underscores an epistemic modesty: theories aim at coherent, testable relations among phenomena, not metaphysical disclosure. It also reflects Bohr’s emphasis on the role of language and classical concepts in reporting experiments, and his broader view that objectivity in physics lies in communicable relations, not in picturing an inaccessible reality.