In the pursuit of understanding the natural world, it is imperative that we exercise caution in our explanations. Let us refrain from indulging in unnecessary conjectures and instead embrace only those that are both true and sufficient to account for what we observe. Nature, with its inherent wisdom, operates with purpose, favoring simplicity over superfluous causes.
Consider the act of respiration, a fundamental process shared by humans and animals alike. Whether it’s the geological formations of mountains spanning continents or the contrasting heat generated by a cooking fire versus the sun’s rays, consistency prevails in attributing the same effects to the same causes. Universality reigns supreme in the laws of nature, transcending proximity and celestial boundaries.
The qualities exhibited by bodies, consistent across all observations, are to be deemed universal truths, discerned solely through empirical means. We mustn’t disregard the evidence provided by experiments in favor of our own fanciful notions. Instead, we should adhere to the simplicity and coherence inherent in the natural order.
Admittedly, our senses have limitations; they may not grasp every aspect of bodies. Yet, based on our sensory perceptions, we universally attribute extension to all entities. This adherence to scientific order and discipline necessitates deriving propositions from general induction from phenomena. We must consider them true until either refuted or refined by subsequent observations.
Such is the rule we must adhere to, ensuring that the validity of inductive reasoning remains unassailable by speculative hypotheses. In striving for truth, we honor the essence of scientific inquiry – a relentless pursuit of understanding grounded in empirical evidence and disciplined reasoning.
