--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: in order to increase the probability…" description: "\"“in order to increase the probability against the testimony of witnesses, let us suppose, that the fact, which they affirm, instead of being only marve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/christopher-hitchens-117_dead-man_in-order-to-increase-the-probability-aga_1909238.jpg" --- # in order to increase the probability against the testimony… ![“in order to increase the probability against the testimony of witnesses, let us suppose, that the fact, which they affirm, instead of being only marvelous, is really miraculous; and suppose also, that the testimony considered apart and in itself, amounts to an entire proof; in that case, there is…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/christopher-hitchens-117_dead-man_in-order-to-increase-the-probability-aga_1909238.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/christopher-hitchens-117_dead-man_in-order-to-increase-the-probability-aga_1909238.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/christopher-hitchens-117_dead-man_in-order-to-increase-the-probability-aga_1909238.jpg) > ““in order to increase the probability against the testimony of witnesses, let us suppose, that the fact, which they affirm, instead of being only marvelous, is really miraculous; and suppose also, that the testimony considered apart and in itself, amounts to an entire proof; in that case, there is proof against proof, of which the strongest must prevail, but still with a diminution of its force in proportion to that of its antagonist. 12. A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature; and as a firm and unalterable experience has established these laws, the proof against a miracle, from the very nature of the fact, is as entire as any argument from experience can possibly be imagined. Why is it more than probable, that all men must die; that lead cannot, of itself, remain suspended in the air; that fire consumes wood, and is extinguished by water; unless it be, that these events are found agreeable to the laws of nature, and there is required a violation of these laws, or in other words, a miracle to prevent them? Nothing is esteemed a miracle, if it ever happen in the common course of nature. It is no miracle that a man, seemingly in good health, should die on a sudden; because such a kind of death, though more unusual than any other, has yet been frequently observed to happen. But it is a miracle, that a dead man should come to life; because that has never been observed in any age or country. There must, therefore, be a uniform experience against every miraculous event, otherwise the event would not merit that appellation. And as a uniform experience amounts to a proof, there is here a direct and full proof, from the nature of the fact, against the existence of any miracle; nor can such a proof be destroyed, or the miracle rendered credible, but by an opposite proof, which is superior.”” [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The argument claims that miracles contradict established natural laws, and because uniform experience disproves them, miracles lack credible proof. **In simple terms:** Miracles conflict with known natural laws and are unsupported by consistent evidence. Key Takeaway Question extraordinary claims with consistent evidence. Themes philosophy science skepticism religion logic Mood critical inquisitive skeptical Type philosophical analytical debate When to use this quote - debates on religion - scientific inquiry - legal evidence - personal belief - historical claims Key Concepts empiricism burden of proof natural law Questions to Reflect On - Can personal experience ever outweigh statistical evidence? - How do we balance faith and reason? A Different Perspective Extraordinary claims may be subjectively meaningful despite lack of empirical proof. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dead man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-man/) [Good health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-health/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Testimony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testimony/) [Witnesses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witnesses/) ## Related quotes > [“A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature; and as a firm and unalterable experience has established these laws, the proof against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/a-miracle-is-a-violation-of-the-laws-of-nature-and-as-a-firm-and/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature; and because firm and unalterable experience has established these laws, the case against a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/a-miracle-is-a-violation-of-the-laws-of-nature-and-because-firm-and/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“you to believe Me.” The words “believe me” arose out of Isaiah 43:10 like a dead man leaping to his feet. “You are my witnesses,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/you-to-believe-me-the-words-believe-me-arose-out-of-isaiah-43-10-like/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Religion is a totalitarian belief. It is the wish to be a slave. It is the desire that there be an unalterable, unchallengeable, tyrannical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-is-a-totalitarian-belief-it-is-the-wish-to-be-a-slave-it-is/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“It's going down, and it's going down right the fuck now. I don’t care if there is a room full of witnesses”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-sivec/it-s-going-down-and-it-s-going-down-right-the-fuck-now-i-don-t-care/) [Tara Sivec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-sivec/) > [I cannot but be astonished that Sarsi should persist in trying to prove by means of witnesses something that I may see for myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/i-cannot-but-be-astonished-that-sarsi-should-persist-in-trying-to/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [The New Testament witnesses were fully aware of the background against which the resurrection took place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-mcdowell/the-new-testament-witnesses-were-fully-aware-of-the-background/) [Josh McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-mcdowell/) > [“It is often much harder to get rid of books than to acquire them. They stick to us in that pact of need and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mar-a-dom-nguez/it-is-often-much-harder-to-get-rid-of-books-than-to-acquire-them-they/) [Carlos María Domínguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mar-a-dom-nguez/) > [We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-were-called-to-be-witnesses-not-lawyers-or-judges/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...the Lord is eager to communicate with us through the manifestations and promptings of the Holy Ghost. And the cumulative effect of repeated witnesses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-dew/the-lord-is-eager-to-communicate-with-us-through-the-manifestations/) [Sheri Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-dew/) > [“We therefore need to be patient with ourselves, and look upon our sense of guilt as Witnesses!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-m-wanderer/we-therefore-need-to-be-patient-with-ourselves-and-look-upon-our/) [Frank M. Wanderer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-m-wanderer/) > [Why don't Jehovah's Witnesses like Halloween? Because they cant handle the competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-don-t-jehovah-s-witnesses-like-halloween-because-they-cant-handle/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's this great fear, and I find, lack of knowledge of Catholicism, just like I'm ignorant of other things. I think we should all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-hicks/there-s-this-great-fear-and-i-find-lack-of-knowledge-of-catholicism/) [Catherine Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-hicks/) > [“The black officer checks Daddy while his partner glances around at all of the onlookers. There's quite a few of us now. Ms. Yvette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-black-officer-checks-daddy-while-his-partner-glances-around-at/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [Discovering witnesses is just as important as catching criminals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/discovering-witnesses-is-just-as-important-as-catching-criminals/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) ## More by Christopher Hitchens > [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integrity-the-core-of-our-self/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“In the very recent past, we have seen the Church of Rome befouled by its complicity with the unpardonable sin of child rape, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-very-recent-past-we-have-seen-the-church-of-rome-befouled-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's surprising to me how many of my friends send Christmas cards, or holiday cards, including my atheist and secular friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-surprising-to-me-how-many-of-my-friends-send-christmas-cards-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Suppose there were groups of secularists at hospitals who went round the terminally ill and urged them to adopt atheism: 'Don't be a mug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/suppose-there-were-groups-of-secularists-at-hospitals-who-went-round/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“It isn’t so long since a test of Anglican orthodoxy was applied to anyone seeking to study or teach at Oxford and Cambridge universities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-isn-t-so-long-since-a-test-of-anglican-orthodoxy-was-applied-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's true that obscenity is a matter of taste and in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-true-that-obscenity-is-a-matter-of-taste-and-in-the-eye-of-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I worked out early on to give up things I couldn't do well at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-worked-out-early-on-to-give-up-things-i-couldn-t-do-well-at-all/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is what's important to me, and anything that helps me do that - or enhances and prolongs and deepens and sometimes intensifies argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/writing-is-what-s-important-to-me-and-anything-that-helps-me-do-that/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Explore all 1,241 Christopher Hitchens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More Dead man quotes > [Those old hypocrites. They talk about killing witches but the Good Book’s full of magic. Turning the Nile to blood and parting the Red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/those-old-hypocrites-they-talk-about-killing-witches-but-the-good/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“A thousand times a coward and not once a dead man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suad-amiry/a-thousand-times-a-coward-and-not-once-a-dead-man/) Suad Amiry > [“I cocked my eyebrow at her. "Are you kidding me, Clare?" I indicated to the dead man on the broken pine table. "There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-morgan/i-cocked-my-eyebrow-at-her-are-you-kidding-me-clare-i-indicated-to/) [Elizabeth Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-morgan/) > [Silvio, I gotta go, find out something only dead men know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/silvio-i-gotta-go-find-out-something-only-dead-men-know/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [I think I probably have the philosophy of a poor man. You know, like maybe I'd steal the pennies off a dead man's eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-think-i-probably-have-the-philosophy-of-a-poor-man-you-know-like/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [“Dead man, listen well. The Great Keep is not like the Otherworld. The Great Keep has many names. To the Norse it is Valhalla,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/dead-man-listen-well-the-great-keep-is-not-like-the-otherworld-the/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [Dead men tell no tales, Mary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dead-men-tell-no-tales-mary/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“what i really need is a dead man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-himes/what-i-really-need-is-a-dead-man/) [Chester Himes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-himes/) > [And he that will this health deny, down among the dead men let him lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer/and-he-that-will-this-health-deny-down-among-the-dead-men-let-him-lie/) [John Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer/) > [“Death Valley is the perfect flesh-grilling device, the Foreman Grill in Mother Nature’s cupboard. It’s a big, shimmering sea of salt ringed by mountains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/death-valley-is-the-perfect-flesh-grilling-device-the-foreman-grill/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [We're here for such a short period of time. Live like you're already dead, man. Have a good time. Do your best. Let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/we-re-here-for-such-a-short-period-of-time-live-like-you-re-already/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [For my own part, I would rather be in company with a dead man than with an absent one; for if the dead man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-my-own-part-i-would-rather-be-in-company-with-a-dead-man-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Victor ignored him and reached inside the dead man’s jacket, searching unsuccessfully for a wallet. He went to take the man’s radio receiver, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wood/victor-ignored-him-and-reached-inside-the-dead-man-s-jacket-searching/) [Tom Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wood/) > [“People had always amazed him, he began. But they amazed him more since the sickness. For as long as the two of them had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/people-had-always-amazed-him-he-began-but-they-amazed-him-more-since/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [How can so much beauty hide such a bruised and steely heart, and why must I love him, why must I lean in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/how-can-so-much-beauty-hide-such-a-bruised-and-steely-heart-and-why/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 490 Dead man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“in order to increase the probability against the testimony of witnesses, let us suppose, that the fact, which they affirm, instead of being only marvelous, is really miraculous; and suppose also, that the testimony considered apart and in itself, amounts to an entire proof; in that case, there is proof against proof, of which the strongest must prevail, but still with a diminution of its force in proportion to that of its antagonist. 12. A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature; and as a firm and unalterable experience has established these laws, the proof against a miracle, from the very nature of the fact, is as entire as any argument from experience can possibly be imagined. Why is it more than probable, that all men must die; that lead cannot, of itself, remain suspended in the air; that fire consumes wood, and is extinguished by water; unless it be, that these events are found agreeable to the laws of nature, and there is required a violation of these laws, or in other words, a miracle to prevent them? Nothing is esteemed a miracle, if it ever happen in the common course of nature. It is no miracle that a man, seemingly in good health, should die on a sudden; because such a kind of death, though more unusual than any other, has yet been frequently observed to happen. But it is a miracle, that a dead man should come to life; because that has never been observed in any age or country. There must, therefore, be a uniform experience against every miraculous event, otherwise the event would not merit that appellation. And as a uniform experience amounts to a proof, there is here a direct and full proof, from the nature of the fact, against the existence of any miracle; nor can such a proof be destroyed, or the miracle rendered credible, but by an opposite proof, which is superior.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Hitchens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-order-to-increase-the-probability-against-the-testimony-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dead man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-order-to-increase-the-probability-against-the-testimony-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/christopher-hitchens-117_dead-man_in-order-to-increase-the-probability-aga_1909238.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/christopher-hitchens-117_dead-man_in-order-to-increase-the-probability-aga_1909238.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/christopher-hitchens-117_dead-man_in-order-to-increase-the-probability-aga_1909238.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“in order to increase the probability against the testimony of witnesses, let us suppose, that the fact…” — Christopher Hitchens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Christopher Hitchens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“in order to increase the probability...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-order-to-increase-the-probability-against-the-testimony-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-order-to-increase-the-probability-against-the-testimony-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```