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Quotes from Testimony: its Posture in the Scientific World — Robert Chambers

1802–1871 Scotland

← All quotes by Robert Chambers

9 quotes

Jenner's statue in Trafalgar Square tells us how fallacious the objection would have been.

Testimony: its Posture in the Scientific World (1859)

The skeptical view appears to me out of harmony with the inductive philosophy.

Testimony: its Posture in the Scientific World (1859)

The progress of knowledge is very irregular, somewhat resembling the movements of an army, of which some battalions are in vigorous health, while others are sickly or overburdened with baggage.

Testimony: its Posture in the Scientific World (1859)

After two thousand years of incredulity, the truth in this matter was forced upon the scientific world about the beginning of the present century.

Testimony: its Posture in the Scientific World (1859)

Should we not from that moment be at a stand-still in all the principal movements of our lives?

Testimony: its Posture in the Scientific World (1859)

There is of course no extraordinary fact resting on testimony only, of which it is not possible to presume some error in the observation or reporting, if we be set upon finding one.

Testimony: its Posture in the Scientific World (1859)

This skeptical method consists very much in vicious circles. You cannot know whether a fact be a fact till you have ascertained the laws of nature in the case, and you cannot know the laws of nature till you have ascertained facts.

Testimony: its Posture in the Scientific World (1859)

We may, indeed, set it down as an absolute certainty, that many things are erroneously deemed impossible; for, till we know all the possible—and how far we are from that need not be insisted on—how can we know what is impossible?

Testimony: its Posture in the Scientific World (1859)

Just suppose for a moment that every fact reported to us by others were viewed in the light of the skeptical system, as to the fallaciousness of the senses and the tendency to self-deception. Should we not from that moment be at a stand-still in all the principal movements of our lives?

Testimony: its Posture in the Scientific World (1859)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Robert Chambers (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.