If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense.
Authentication Score 2
More information on Authentication Score coming soon.
Citation
Russell, Bertrand. "Is There a God?" The Collected Papers of Bertrand Russell, edited by John G. Slater and Peter Köllner. Vol. 11, Routledge, 1997. Originally commissioned by Illustrated magazine, 1952. Unpublished.
Citation text copied to clipboard.
