Unsubstantiated Quotes
Logicians and others often state: “It is impossible to prove a negative.” For example, there were those who suggested that the HIV virus could not be transmitted by mosquitoes. They pointed to the lack of any research proving that misquotes could not transmit the virus as evidence that there was a likely risk. However, the scientist had shown that there was not a single case yet where mosquitoes could be implicated—even in areas of high mosquito infestation. But there is no way of doing an experiment to show that in no possible case or circumstance could a mosquito transmit the virus or a butterfly or hurricanes. Generally negatives cannot be established with logical rigor.
This quotation illustrates a scientific principle that is at the heart of several political issues. Specifically the debate over whether creationism should be taught in science classes along with evolution. The major reason that almost all serious scientists (religious and secular both) oppose teaching creationism is that it is not a “falsifiable” set of statements—that is there is no way to prove it or disprove it. There are scientific statements that can be proved or disproved but have not yet been so. To be a scientific statement, it must be falsifiable—logically provable or disprovable. And this is the logic which the Federal Courts have used in ruling that creationism may not be taught in science classes in public schools. This quotation, Pauli is saying that the paper is not falsifiable—it cannot be proved and cannot be refuted. As such it is not scientific and belongs in the realm of philosophy, literature, theology, or other disciplines, but not science. An example of non-falsifiable statements are: “Blue is the most attractive color.”; “Freedom is essential to capitalism”; “Monarchy is more efficient than theocracy”.
When the Shah left Iran, the moderate religions leaders of the country. including those who were major opponents of the Shah, approached the American ambassador urging America do something to prevent the exiled Ayatollah Khomeini who had returned to Tehran from taking over the government, as they claimed he would;d create a dictatorial theocracy. Ambassador Sullivan was convinced tghatg America should work with the new government an d negotiate with them for moderation. See the related quotes for more of his erroneous thinking.
