VegasRefugee wrote:Sounds interesting. I'd like a copy.
* Reginald Scot:
Discoverie of Witchcraft* Thomas Ady:
A Candle In The Dark* Thomas Ady:
Perfect Discovery of Witchcraft* Balthasar Bekker:
The World BewitchedThomas Ady is particularly witty. Here the Skeptic Wiki quotes approvingly Ady's swift and effective methods of dealing with various logical fallacies used to support the idea of witchcraft:
Besides these, the skeptics were faced with the usual nonsense which is scraped together when people wish to provide evidence for things which don’t actually exist. Here is Ady on unverifiable anecdotal evidence:
“[They] betake themselves to their leggs, runing into some vain story taken out of Bodinus or Bat. Spineus, or some such popish vain writer, and report that it was done in Lancashier, or in Westmerland, or in some remote place farre off; and that they heard it credibly reported from men of worth and quality, and so they ingage me to answer to a story, which they would compell me to beleeve, or else to goe see where it was done..."
Here he deals with the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy:
“Some men will Object, and say, If Witches have not power to afflict, and torment, and kill People and Cattel, how cometh it to pass that after the angring of such an old man or woman, or such a lame man, or woman, that came to my House and desired relief, and I rated her away, and gave her no relief, or did not give her that which she desired; such and such crosses and losses came upon me, or such a Childe was taken in such a manner, with such a Sickness, presently after, or within few days after his or her coming to my door?
They that make this Objection must dwell very remote from Neighbours, or else must be known to give very little, or no relief to the poor, if it can be said at any time when a cross cometh upon them, that one poor body or other hath not been at their door that day, or not many days before, let it happen at any time whatsoever; shall this then be laid to the charge of him, or her that came last begging to their door? then by that reason no man in England can at any time be afflicted but he must accuse some poor body or other to have bewitched him; for Christ saith, The poor ye shall have always; and I think no man of ability is long free from poor coming to his door.”
Here, he answers the argumentum ad populum:
“What though there be no murthering, nor afflicting Witch mentioned in the Scripture, nor any command given to put Witches to death for Murthers, may not this common opinion of all men go for current, unless we can prove it by Scriptures? what shall one or two mens opinions be preferred before the common tenent of all men?
To this I answer, It was the common tenent of all the Heathen, that Idols were gods, and ought to be worshipped; it was the common opinion of all the Scribes and Pharisees that it was a sin to eat with unwashen hands, and yet the Scripture telleth us that these things were false.”
And here he deals briskly with a complete non sequitur:
“Oh gallant! as the Wheel-Barrow goeth ramble the Ramble; so Peter Sherk owes me Five shillings.”