Attachment A
I. Rules of Reasoning in Philosophy
Rule I
We are to admit no more causes of
natural things than such as are both true and sufficient to explain their
appearances.
To this
purpose the philosophers say that Nature does nothing in vain, and more
is in vain when less will serve; for
Nature is pleased with simplicity
and affects not the pomp of superfluous causes.
Rule II
Therefore to the same natural effects
we must, as far as possible assign the same causes.
As to respiration in a man and in a beast, the descent of stones in Europe
and in America,
the light of our culinary fire and of the sun, the reflection of light
in the earth and in the planets.
Rule III
The qualities of bodies, which admit
neither intensification nor
remission of degrees, and which
are found to belong to all bodies
within the reach of our experiments,
are to be deemed the universal
qualities of all bodies whatsoever.
Rule IV
In experimental philosophy we are
to look upon propositions
inferred by general induction from
phenomena as accurately or
very nearly true, notwithstanding
any contrary hypotheses that
may be imagined, till such time
as other phenomena occur by
which they may either be made more
accurate or liable to exceptions.
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