DANIEL DE LEON

"ALTHOUGH NOT DIRECTLY DEMOSTRABLE, LIKE PROPOSITION IN EUCLID, SOCIOLOGIC THEORIES ARE MORE OR LESS QUICKLY AMENABLE TO A TOUHCSTONE, THAT IS,THE TEST OF SCIENCE. WHAT IS THE TOUCHSTONE ? IT IS PRESCIENNCE – THE POWER TO FORESEE.  NOT ONE OF SOCIOLOGIC THEORIES ADVANCED TODAY BUT HAS LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO BE BROUGHT TO THE TOUCH: HAS IT FORESEEN CORRECTLY ? HAS IT NOT? IF IT HAS, IT IS SCIENTIFIC AND TRUE; IF IT HAS NOT, IT IS NONSENSE AND FALSE. IF IT HAS FORESEEN CORRECTLY, THEN MAY  IT SAFELY BANKED UPON AS A CARDINAL PRINCIPLE, LIKE ANY MATHEMATICAL THEOREM; IF IT HAS NOT FORESEEEN CORRECTLY, THEN SHOULD IT BE DISCARDED AS A CHIMERA"