ON PROOF 267 



that is furnished by the laboratory. And in view of 

 the wealth of corroborative evidence of various sorts 

 that supports the theory, it is apparent: 



1 . The demand for direct physical laboratory proof 

 of the theory is a demand that may not be denied. 



2. Physical laboratory experiments to test the 

 theory will be not only crucial as concerns the theory ^ 

 but, since the theory treats of the basic problems of 

 life, the research will be fundamental as well, designed 

 to solve the primary problem of the nature of life. 



3. This crucial and fundamental research will pre- 

 pare the way and serve as a basis for much other 

 work, since the theory opens up the entire field of 

 inquiry into life phenomena to the quantitative 

 method. 



4. The necessary expenditure of time and money 

 for whatever extensive and costly laboratory research 

 is required to test the theory is well warranted. 



5. Only the physical laboratory can supply the 

 required proof. 



A mathematical demonstration, that is, proof, of 

 the theory is impossible in the present state of our 

 imperfect knowledge of the atoms that are involved. 

 Concerning the Bohr (or the Rutherford-Bohr- 

 Sommerfeld) atom, on which the theory is based, 

 it is, of course, well known that it was not established 

 mathematically, but was, as Sommerfeld put it, 



