Philosophy of Science

To the Editor: As a philosopher of science and medicine, I am interested in the correspondence about Dr. Fitzgerald's article on alternative health care (March 22 issue).¹ In reply to her critics Dr. Fitzgerald states, “Perhaps most important, the alternative-health people … hold that an idea is valid until disproved. Scientists, I maintain, generally hold that an idea is doubtful until proved. This marks a fundamental difference in mode of thought between orthodox science and heterodox, or alternative, systems.” Would Dr. Fitzgerald regard as a scientist a person who viewed propositions inferred by general induction as true until such time.