In article <D8t35q.HJp at zoo.toronto.edu>
mes at zoo.toronto.edu (Mark Siddall) writes:
> I am afraid I am going to have to dissent on this. Prove does not
> mean test. "Prove" in any framework means "prove true".
This is the entire basis of the misconception. "Prove" for the
scientist does not mean "prove true". It cannot as so elegantly
explained in the remainder of the message.
As Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary states:
proof: vt "to make or take a proof or test"
prove: vb "to test the quality of: try out . . . to try or ascertain
by an experiment or standard"
There is nothing there about "truth" in the metaphysical sense as Mark
Siddall tries to bring to the subject.
David H. Griffin
Department of Environmental & Forest Biology
College of Environmental Science and Forestry
350 Illick Hall
One Forestry Drive
Syracuse NY 13210-2788
e-mail: griffin at mailbox.syr.edu
