I used in class the other day (talking about the importance of the
empirical method) an example from Isaac Newton. Philosophers of Newton's
day speculated about how many teeth horses had. One said it must be 24
because of the size of the jaw; another said it must be 32 based on
Pythagorean principles, and so on. Newton cut through that philosophical
speculation by simply looking in the horse's mouth.
Then a student asked what was my source for this story, and I had to
confess that I couldn't remember the source, nor did I know for sure
whether the story was true or apocryphal, or whether it really was about
Newton, or whether I made the whole thing up.
Can anyone with a better memory than I have point me in the direction of a
confirmation or disconfirmation of this story?
Thanks.
--Russ
_________________________________________________________________
Russell T. Hurlburt, Ph.D. Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Professor of Psychology Telephone: (702) 895-0194
University of Nevada, Las Vegas Fax: (702) 895-0195
4505 S. Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154-5030 USA
http://www.nevada.edu/~russ/hurlburt.html
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