W. O. BAKER 



fallacy known as a set of requirements, to believe that step-by- 

 step charting of a course into the unknown can be clone. Here 

 the general philosophy so expertly advanced bv Professor John 

 von Neumann a few years ago again shows us what an insight 

 can be gained from appreciation of theory. This is by involv- 

 ing what he called teleological research, and illustrated par- 

 ticularly by alternate concepts of classical mechanics. Thus 

 instead of defining a state by every single step, by every single 

 velocity of every single part at every moment, one thinks of 

 defining its actual history by minimizing the integral of energy 

 times time. There is bold import for much modern research in 

 such alternatives. Research in the social sciences, in psychology, 

 and in the life sciences could be wisely modulated by apprecia- 

 tion of such teleological theory. 



Conditions for Depending on 

 Guidance by Theory 



So far we have said that the existence of even a crude and 

 preliminary physical theory and the heeding of it in the expecta- 

 tions and patterns of operation of scientific work would permit 

 coupling of the individual, uncommitted, undirected researcher 

 to the general objectives of economic and social programs. 

 There is much clear convincing evidence that the situation is 

 about as simple as this. In the still regrettably small list of 

 findings from basic scientific research which have been quickly 

 and directly connected with large advances in technology and 

 useful operations are several important examples. In these, the 

 really new idea came out because a unifying theory had dis- 

 played the true possibilities — the wide range of means rather 

 than simply the ends themselves. These theoretical frameworks, 

 some of which will be illustrated, are by no means perfect and, 

 in fact, are poorly applied when used to eliminate completely 

 and negatively certain possibilities. It is from these misapplica- 



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