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UUDULILUILLORLUNNITT
HATTIIIIIITTIR Tiit
Zetetic Astronomy
Chapter-1 Zetetic and Theoretic Defined and compared
MIT
The term Zetetic is derived from : the greek verb Zeteo; which means
to search, or examine to proceed only by inquiry: to take nothing for granted, but to trace phenomena to their immediate and demonstrable causes. It is hereby used in contra- distinction from the word "theoretic” the meaning of which is speculative imaginary not tangible, scheming but not proving. :: None can doubt that by making
special experiments, and collecting manifest and undeniable facts, arran- ging in logical order, and observing what is naturally and fairly deducible there from, the result must be more consistent and satisfactory than con- trary method of framing a theory or system assuming the existence and operation of causes of which there is no direct and practical evidence, and which is only claimed to be
"admitted for the sake of argument” and for the purpose of giving apparent and plausible, but not a necessarily truthful explanation of phenomena. All theories are of this character, supposing instead of inqui. ring, imagining systems instead of learning from observation and experience the true constitution of things. Speculative men, by the force of genius may invent systems that will perhaps greatly admired for a time,
the force of truth will sooner or later dispel; and while we are pleased with the deceit, true philosophy with all the arts and improvements that depend upon it, suffers. The real state of things escapes our observation; or if it presents itself to us, we are apt either to reject it wholly as fiction, or, by new efforts of a vain ingenuity to interweave it
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