Inferring and Explaining

ChaPter sIx New Data and Experimentation We must trust to nothing but facts: these are presented to us by nature and can- not deceive. We ought, in every instance, to submit our reasoning to the test of experiment, and never to search for truth but by the natural road of experiment and observation. —antoIne lavoIsIer 1 The Crazy Philosopher’s Evidence As you will remember, Johnson thought he had discovered evidence that there was a glitch in his iPod sofware. His schematized argument was as follows: e 1 . Johnson went to a Pink Martini concert, planning to ask for a specifc encore. e 2 . “Que Sera Sera” was played during the concert. e 3 . He never got a chance to ask for “Lilly.” e 4 . On the ride home the next morning, he set his iPod to play all thirty-six of the Pink Martini songs. e 5 . He set the iPod to “Shufe Songs.” e 6 . He listened to all thirty-six songs. e 7 . The last two songs played were “Lilly” and “Que Sera Sera”—the imagined encore from the night before! e 8 . “Lilly” and “Que Sera Sera” are the two Pink Martini songs he listens to most often. t 0 . There is a glitch in the iPod software— rather than playing the songs in completely “random” order, it is weighing things accord- ing to how often songs are listened to. 49