Proving and Disproving

By experience, by trial and error, we are constantly discovering what is true and what is merely opinion or supposition; what works and what doesn’t; what is healthful and what is unhealthful, what is safe and what is dangerous, what brings happiness and what brings unhappiness. “Prove all things; hold that which is good,” said Paul, and in many ways it is wise for a person to prove what can be proved. But it isn’t wise to waste time proving what has already been proved, especially not on the dangerous and degrading side. It is possible to prove that certain diseases are contagious by exposing ourselves to them⎯but we already know they are. It is possible to prove that certain substances are habit-forming, but we already know they are. It is possible for a person to prove for himself that a life of dishonesty and immorality and lawlessness will lead to sorrow and regret and bitter consequences. But for each man to prove this would be too big a price to pay. It would undoubtedly be possible for every person to prove for himself that poison is poison, but for each person to prove this personally would be too costly in illness and impairment and loss of life. That’s why we have the warning signs⎯the skull and bones⎯on poison bottles⎯to tell us what has been proved about that particular product. And there are many other warning signs in human history. And so, in many ways, it is wiser to accept the experience of others, and the word of wise and inspired men, and to accept what has already been proved in the past, often at too great a cost. As a matter of sheer common sense, and for our peace and happiness and health, and also sometimes simply as a matter of survival, we should accept the proven fact that some things are not good for people, and simply leave them alone.