PROBLEMS OF MODERN SCIENCE 



excrescences. It is also hoped that the scheme may 

 serve as a suitable framework upon which to hang 

 a few remarks on recent developments in various 

 departments, though in this respect I shall of 

 course be obliged to confine myself to those por- 

 tions of the subject in which I may fairly claim 

 to take a special interest. 



You will see from the chart on p. 1 1 6 that 

 the primary division proposed, so far as Pure 

 Biology is concerned, is threefold, into (i) Descrip- 

 tive and Systematic Biology, (2) Experimental 

 Biology, and (3) Philosophical Biology. Descrip- 

 tive and Systematic Biology stands first because 

 it deals with the description and classification of 

 the innumerable organisms which constitute our 

 material, and thus affords the necessary founda- 

 tion for both the other departments. The experi- 

 mental biologist cannot carry on his work until he 

 knows what material he has to work with. The 

 value of his results depends very largely upon the 

 correct description and identification of the plants 

 or animals which form the subjects of his experi- 

 ments, and very often upon a knowledge of the 

 relationship of these organisms to one another. 

 The philosophical biologist, again, if his work is 

 to have any value at all, must base his theories 

 upon the facts supplied by the describer, the 

 systematist, and the experimenter, and thus secure 

 the ultimate unification of the whole science. 

 118 



