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Friday, January 6, 2017

Life is Short

A theory (actually one should say an idea or maybe hypothesis, since "theory" really refers to a body of knowledge that puts an explanatory story onto the data) -- but let popular usage be, and call it a theory -- is not right or wrong because it seems outlandish to us, nor because its implications appeal to us or are exciting.  It is right or wrong only if it is right or wrong.

In reality, though, we can't afford to be so democratic.  We must assess suggestions and decide which should be studied first and which put off until all other possibilities fail, and maybe then we should just put the problem on the shelf as unresolved.  Life is short.

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