100 GENERAL VIEW AND BASIS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. 



of which we have not sufficient evidence. ' In 

 contemplation, if a man begin with certainties 

 he shall end in doubts ; but if he will be content 

 to begin with doubts he shall end in certainties.' 1 



4. We may reasonably disbelieve any statement in 



science which we perceive really contradicts any 

 of the fundamental laws of the sciences. And, 



5. In all cases it is a duty to proportion the firmness 



of our belief strictly to the strength of the 

 evidence. That we are morally bound to seek 

 true beliefs and avoid false and uncertain ones, 

 and properly regulate the strength of our beliefs, 

 is proved by the punishment awarded to ignorance 

 and error; and by strictly proportioning our 

 belief to the strength of the evidence, our minds 

 are also kept open for the reception of proof. 



The question, what is sufficient evidence to warrant 

 belief, is a difficult one, and is often superseded by an- 

 other, viz. how much evidence can we obtain ? As human 

 life and opportunities are altogether too limited to admit 

 of our obtaining adequate evidence upon all the chief 

 points of necessary belief, we are not bound to do impossi- 

 bilities even in the most important questions, and we must 

 in every case be content with what we can get. A per- 

 fectly reasonable course is to obtain all the evidence we 

 cajo, and proportion the strength of our belief in accord- 

 ance with it. Different propositions have every different 

 degree of credibility. Practically, a preponderance of 

 evidence determines our minds, and is sufficient to war- 

 rant a proportionate degree of belief. In matters of 

 ordinary occurrence we are often obliged to be satisfied 

 with the fact, that we once examined the question as far 



1 Bacon. 



