CHAPTER XII 

 THE HIGHER VALUES OF SCIENCE 



The material values of science are widely acclaimed. Its 

 higher values are commonly ignored. For the man of the 

 street, science represents only control of his physical en- 

 vironment. As a matter of fact, the changes induced by 

 science within this environment are insignificant, when com- 

 pared with those wrought within the human mind. To 

 designate these higher values of science, the term spiritual 

 may be used, over against the term material, without further 

 implications and without attempt at exact definition. If 

 we speak of man's spiritual yearnings in contrast to his 

 material needs, we may not have a clear concept of what the 

 former term signifies; but we acknowledge, by the frequent 

 drawing of such a contrast, the existence of that which is the 

 opposite of material. That which constitutes the spirit of 

 the man, while too elusive for definition is no less a reality. 2 

 Science emancipates the spirit of man by freeing it from 

 ignorance and superstition. The freedom thus acquired 

 enables him to make proper use of his material surroundings. 

 It is time for more emphasis to be laid on this value of 

 science. On the material side, science has won and its 

 victory has been acknowledged and acclaimed. On the 



1 A considerable portion of the matter contained in this chapter appeared in 

 Science, June 14, 1918, as part of the Symposium conducted by the American 

 Society of Zoologists, Minneapolis, Dec. 29, 1917. 



2 The term spiritual possesses an unfortunate connotation for the scientific 

 mind. But there is no reason why a word for which a satisfactory synonym 

 can hardly be found should be monopolized by a particular field of thought. If 

 scientific men speak of their scientific spirit, they may with equal propriety 

 refer to the spirit of man and to the spiritual values of scientific knowledge, 

 without implying either belief in ghosts or tacit acceptance of certain concepts 

 of orthodoxy. 



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