Metamorphoses of Scepticism 



Introductory Essay (1941) 



"He says goodbye 



To much, but not to love. For loving now shall be 



The close handclasp of the waters about his trusting keel, 



Buoyant they make his home, and lift his heart high. 



Among their marching multitude he never shall feel lonely. 



Love for him no longer a soft and garden sigh 



Ruffling at evening the petalled composure of the senses; 



But a wind all hours and everywhere he no wise can deny." 



(Chorus from Noah and the Waters^ C. Day Lewis). 



This book is the third of a series of collections of essays and addresses; 

 the first, The Sceptical Biologist^ appeared in 1929,^ and the second, 

 The Great Amphibium^ appeared in 1931.^ Even to-day there are many 

 professional scientists who look askance at the action of a colleague 

 who dares to speak out from time to time on general topics. In his 

 spare time, they feel, he should occupy himself with some innocent 

 and health-giving occupation such as golf or fishing, rather than with 

 dubious studies in the history of science or philosophy, the develop- 

 ment of economic structures, the ramifications of folk-lore or the 

 language of the Aztecs and the literature of Cathay. The overt 

 rationalisation of this feeling is that a scientific worker can hardly be 

 thought to have sufficient intellectual energy for his scientific work 

 unless he is careful to use none outside it — apart from the fact that 

 general inquiries have a strangely irritating quality on those who quite 

 honestly do prefer golf or bridge. But the real meaning of this feeling 

 is that to enquire too curiously into the structure of the world and 

 society and the history of society is potentially a menace to the 

 stability of society. The innocent scientist who harbours no "danger- 

 ous thoughts" is a far more wholesome member of the community 

 (from the point of view of its de facto rulers) than the scientist who 

 prefers to prowl. Like the various departments of some great industrial 

 plant, into which one must not penetrate without a special pass. 

 History and Philosophy would be presented as closed doors, if it 

 were possible, to the scientific investigator in the pay of the bourgeoisie. 



''■ (Chatto & Windus, London, 1929: Norton, New York, 1930.) 

 ^ (S.C.M. Press, London, 1931.) 



