W. Airy, had said, "I wish your brother, the
Astronomer Royal, could be induced to have investigations made as to
whether the aspects of the Planets have any effect on the weather."
This enquiry produced the following reply:
A subject like that of the occult influences of the planets (using the
word occult in no bad sense but simply as meaning not _thoroughly_
traced) can be approached in two ways--either by the a priori
probability of the existence of such influences, or by the a
posteriori evidence of their effects. If the two can be combined, the
subject may be considered as claiming the dignity of a science. Even
if the effects alone are certain, it may be considered that we have a
science of inferior degree, wanting however that definiteness of law
and that general plausibility which can only be given when true
causes, in accordance with antecedent experience in other cases, can
be suggested.
Now in regard to the a priori probability of the existence of
planetary influences, I am far from saying that such a thing is
impossible. The discoveries of modern philosophy have all tended to
shew that there may be many things about us, unknown even to the
scientific world, but which well-followed accidents reveal with the
most positive certainty.
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