





SCIENCE PROGRESS* 



IRRATIONALISM 



One of the first things which strike the man of science when 

 he studies natural objects of the same class, especially living 

 objects, is the great variation which exists amongst them. 

 Nature abhors not only the vacuum but the straight line ; 

 and if we arrange objects according to any single measurable 

 quality which they possess, we generally find that they group 

 themselves according to certain well-known laws : the majority 

 of them are nearly but not quite equal in respect to the given 

 quality, but, at one extremity of the curve, a few of the objects 

 are very deficient in it, and, at the other extremity, a few of 

 them greatly excel the rest. The study of such arrangements 

 has now become a new and valuable branch of science ; and we 

 know exactly what to expect when we discuss, let us say, the 

 tallness or the weight of men, or the frequency of blue eyes, 

 or of certain deformities, and so on. We have scarcely yet 

 attempted to apply the same analysis to certain high mental 

 qualities, such as capacity for reasoning ; but to judge from 

 analogy even these lofty possessions of man are likely to be 

 dominated by precisely the same law. 



In an inarticulate manner, indeed, the world generally does 

 recognise the principle — men are said to be of average intel- 

 ligence, or of high intelligence, or are even called fools. But 

 the principle is frequently disregarded in affairs of great public 

 importance. Thus in philosophical discussions appeals are 

 sometimes made to the opinion of the majority of mankind, 

 which is thought to over-rule the opinions of exceptional 

 individuals; and also in politics, especially in Britain, the 

 suffrage is given regardless of intellectual ability, and the 

 verdict of the nation is cited as being sufficient to overwhelm 

 that of any individuals, however trained they may 'be in the 

 art of reasoning, or however learned they may be in the details 

 of the measure under consideration. Yet a study of nature will 

 i 



