When men of science reason upon subjects where the ideas are distinct
and definite, with terms appropriated to the ideas, they come to
conclusions in which there is no difference of opinion. It is otherwise
in physical subjects, where things are to be assimilated, in being
properly compared; there, things are not always compared in similar and
equal circumstances or conditions; and there, philosophers often draw
conclusions beyond the analogy of the things compared, and thus judge
without data. When, for example, they would form the physical induction,
with regard to the effect of fire or water upon certain substances in
the mineral regions, from the analogy of such events as may be observed
upon the surface of the earth, they are apt to judge of things acting
under different circumstances or conditions, consequently not producing
similar effects; in which case, they are judging without reason, that
is, instead of inductive reasoning from actual data or physical truth,
they are forming data to themselves purely by supposition, consequently,
so far as these, imagined data may be wrong, the physical conclusion, of
these philosophers may be erroneous.
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