Observation and Common Sense Do Not Always Lead to Scientific Reality

Stearns: Even alhatib's opinions on the plague were debated by succeeding generations of scholars, as can be seen in a recently published collection of legal opinions from the fifteenth century. He says that while some broad ans within religious communities can be observed, sterrns does agree that the majority view among moslem jurists and theologians at the time is that plague is not contagious. But he disagrees that al hati was the only person pushing back against this. And so the broader point i think he's making is that you can get a much more accurate picture of historical trends by understanding the diversity of thought within communities.