rise in the east tomorrow; we merely have an extremely high confidence that it will, based on our having observed it having done so and the fact that it seems to conform to our tested theories about how heavenly bodies work. Scientific theories often hold up for many decades or centuries but are later discredited in the face of more complete knowledge. Thus, we must never close our minds in thinking we know something, but always be open to new information that alters what yesterday we deemed well-nigh certain.
Check out the other articles in Rick's series on philosophy and software testing:
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About the author
Rick Scott is a Canadian philosopher-geek who's profoundly interested in how we can collaborate to make technology work better for everyone. He's an incorrigible idealist, an open source contributor, and a staunch believer in testing, universal access, and the hacker ethic. When he's not in front of a computer, you'll find him out on the hiking trails, in the kitchen turning out cupcakes, or cleaning up his viola technique in the basement.
