LRC.Slocum@UTEXAS-20@sri-unix (10/20/82)
From: Jonathan Slocum <LRC.Slocum at UTEXAS-20> Statements like "We haven't seen them, so the simplest [hence most preferred] hypothesis is that they don't exist" fall to the simple observation that we haven't LOOKED to any significant extent. Not only have we not looked very long in an historical sense, we haven't even looked very hard with what time and instruments we have available. Deer don't look up into trees, but that doesn't mean there aren't any lions up there. The "scientific method" does not allow us to draw ANY conclusions based on no evidence, which is what we've got now. Mountain lions would appreciate the fact that deer aren't scientifically oriented. We humans claim to be scientific; mostly, we're not. As to whether we SHOULD look or not, that's another issue. I'm in favor of it, just out of sheer curiosity. This doesn't imply that I know HOW to look, though. -------