THE DISCOVERY OF LAWS 67 



necessarily from the subject-matter of science and to 

 which, therefore, a law can have no reference. It is 

 quite possible that, if such a case as we are imagining 

 actually occurred, we should adopt this course ; but 

 it must be remembered that we might adopt the other 

 and remove the discrepancy, not by rejecting the obser- 

 vation, but by stating two laws. Which alternative 



-hall adopt depends on all the circumstances, and 

 here it is convenient to note why the observation of a 

 very large number of favourable instances is important 



: e establishment of a law. If we have based a law 

 on a large number of instances, and subsequently find 

 other instances apparently discrepant, then, if, when 

 we choose between the alternatives just mentioned, we 

 reject the law, we place all these large number of obser- 

 outside the province of science. And this we 

 are loath to do ; we want to reduce as much as possible 

 of our experience to order by means of laws, and the 

 rejection of the whole of our past experience as one 

 great " mistake/' accords ill with that purpose. When 



iave ordered a very large number of instances by 

 means of a law, we shall want to maintain that law at 

 all hazards ; and we shall be much more willing to 

 introduce other laws to include instances apparent lv 



pant, and so to avoid the necessity of rejecting 

 rial on which the original law was based, than 

 we should be if we have only ordered a very small number 

 of instan 



PURPOSE OF LAWS 



.ill be seen that in this discussion the question from 



'i it stai on left out of account. 



iged to establish laws, by the 



t experience, which were true 



also for fin The consideration- 



have been put f< Biggest that this problem i- not 



