We Must Alter Theory To

Laplace Considers Astronomy A Science Of Observation, Because We Can Only Observe The Movements Of The Planets; We Cannot Reach Them, Indeed, To Alter Their Course And To Experiment With Them. "on Earth," Said Laplace, "we Make Phenomena Vary By Experiments; In The Sky, We Carefully Define All The Phenomena Presented To Us By Celestial Motion." Certain Physicians Call Medicine A Science Of Observations, Because They Wrongly Think That Experimentation Is Inapplicable To It.

Real Science Exists, Then, Only From The Moment When A Phenomenon Is Accurately Defined As To Its Nature And Rigorously Determined In Relation To Its Material Conditions, That Is, When Its Law Is Known. Before That, We Have Only Groping And Empiricism.

The Doubter Is A True Man Of Science: He Doubts Only Himself And His Interpretations, But He Believes In Science.

Ardent Desire For Knowledge, In Fact, Is The One Motive Attracting And Supporting Investigators In Their Efforts; And Just This Knowledge, Really Grasped And Yet Always Flying Before Them, Becomes At Once Their Sole Torment And Their Sole Happiness. Those Who Do Not Know The Torment Of The Unknown Cannot Have The Joy Of Discovery Which Is Certainly The Liveliest That The Mind Of Man Can Ever Feel.

Well-observed Facts, Though Brought To Light By Passing Theories, Will Never Die; They Are The Material On Which Alone The House Of Science Will At Last Be Built.