CHAPTER XIII 



MANKIND AND THE FURTHER PROGRESS 



OF SCIENCE 



An attempt has now been made to delineate the place of 

 science in human affairs. The materialities of civilized life 

 rest upon scientific knowledge. The spirit of the modern 

 world is the rationalistic spirit of science. Mankind is 

 becoming increasingly dependent upon the creations of 

 hand and mind which science has brought forth. If vast 

 populations must be artificially fed and clothed, science be- 

 comes a necessity in the lives of men. The extent to which 

 mere physical demands should be satisfied may be questioned, 

 but once established they become insistent. On the material 

 side, the science of the future must concern itself with facts 

 of serious import regarding exhaustion of natural resources 

 and increases of population. The mad expenditure of human 

 effort in pursuit of the material luxuries of civilized life 

 cannot continue indefinitely, unless new sources of energy 

 are discoverable. But even in that event, men may become 

 convinced that such effort is not worth while; since satisfac- 

 tion of physical needs is not the highest human aspiration. 

 Science has this more lasting significance well-balanced 

 lives can be lived only in the scientific spirit. The great 

 problem of the scientific future is spiritual adjustment, not 

 physical gratification. Although nothing seems able to 

 stand against material matter-of-fact, this aspect of science 

 must eventually occupy a subordinate position. A brief 

 consideration of certain possibilities concludes the dis- 

 cussion. 



It is sometimes declared that science has reached the 

 point of diminishing returns, that future advances cannot 



314 



