Interfaith Group

It was actually John Locke. The formal term is Argumentum ad Ignorantum -- "Argument from Ignorance".

Before anyone mentions him, I should put to rest the myth that Giordano Bruno was executed for saying that there were multiple worlds with life on them. He did say that, but he also denied the divinity of Christ, the Trinity, the Virgin Birth, the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the efficacy of the sacraments and so on; that's what got him executed for heresy, along with his being a pain in the arse. It's as if a man robbed a bank at gunpoint, shot and killed someone during the robbery, took a hostage and drove through a red light while making his getaway. The newspaper headline would not read "Man Wanted For Running A Red Light".

Incidentally, some years before Bruno, Nicholas of Cusa wrote that there may well be other worlds. He became a bishop and later a cardinal and died in his bed.