Aristotle could have avoided the mistake of thinking that women have fewer teeth than men, by the simple device of asking Mrs. Aristotle to keep her mouth open while he counted.

Summary

This quote humorously highlights the importance of empirical observation in the field of science and the potential consequences of neglecting it. It sarcastically suggests that Aristotle could have easily discovered the truth about the number of teeth in women versus men by simply asking his wife to open her mouth. This serves as a reminder that assumptions and theoretical reasoning alone are not enough to reach accurate conclusions, emphasizing the necessity of firsthand observation and testing in the pursuit of knowledge.

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