The Social Sciences 11 



more dependent on one another. If they are to enjoy the 

 benefits of science, they must learn to work harmoniously 

 together, dividing the necessary labors more elaborately 

 among themselves, conducting schools and universities in 

 order to disseminate the necessary knowledge, setting up 

 transport systems to exchange the goods manufactured most 

 advantageously in particular parts of the world, and devis- 

 ing intricate systems of government to keep the whole 

 complex system operating smoothly. Most important of all, 

 social mechanisms are needed for foreseeing and control- 

 ling the possibly injurious results of the application of scien- 

 tific power. 



It is the task of the social sciences to supply the organized 

 knowledge of man and his institutions upon which needed 

 social inventions can be based. There is a very great chal- 

 lenge here, and there seems no reason to suppose that it 

 cannot be met by much the same sort of method that has 

 brought such striking advances in the more basic sciences. 

 Man is, after all, a part of nature, and social behavior 

 comes naturally to him; sociology, economics, and political 

 science must increasingly be regarded as sciences just as 

 "natural" as physics and chemistry. 



For various practical reasons, however, this book will 

 not have very much more to say about the social sciences. 

 There is a limit to what can usefully be discussed in a given 

 space and there are severe Hmitations upon this author's 

 abihty to describe the social scientist as a career model. 

 But anyone wishing to play a part in developing the science 

 of the future should give some thought to the fields which 

 deal with man's behavior. 



