Terry Pratchett. Witches abroad (№ 350797)

In former times such a universe was considered unusual and perhaps even impossible.
But on the other hand, in the old days everything was much easier.
This is because the universe was full of ignorance. And the scientist, like leaning over to the prospector mountain stream, carefully and for a long time sifted it through in search of gold grains of knowledge among the gravel of the absurd, the sand of uncertainty and goofing off in the water a tiny eight-legged bristly superstitions.