BIOLOGY IN HUMAN AFFAIRS 



Such subjects were divine mysteries. But members of the 

 Promethean guild have never been impressed by signs. The 

 results of their boldness are the sciences of genetics and 

 psychology. The plain truth is that the entire universe of 

 human experience is attackable by the scientific method; 

 and when the last human succumbs to the freezing temper- 

 atures of this cooling sphere, he will leave solvable problems 

 still unformulated. 



The same timid soul who wants to preserve the Olympian 

 mysteries inviolate is also disturbed by what he calls 

 scientific dogmatism. The scientist is dogmatic; it must be 

 admitted; but he is not dogmatic in the sense implied by 

 his critics. He holds no inflexible confidence in plausible 

 conclusions, insecurely founded, just because they bear the 

 label of his trade union. If a new theory appears which is 

 better substantiated than the one he holds, he will give 

 the latter up at once. His only determined position is con- 

 cerned with the validity of the scientific method, with the 

 spirit of science. He holds that the one means of solving 

 human problems is further advances in science. He takes 

 this position for the simple reason that, in all its cycles of 

 experience, the race has found no other method that really 

 works. It is a substantiated belief and not a hope. If this is 

 dogmatism, make the most of it. 



We have recently had an episode of such criticisms of 

 science that was rather interesting while it lasted. I refer to 

 the rise and fall of the Humanist cult led by Irving Babbitt. 

 I mention it only because the leaders of the movement have 

 been literary men and have therefore been able to advertize 

 their doctrine widely, and because the slovenly formulation 

 of the ideas involved has led many readers to think they 

 see in them a depth and value altogether undeserved. 

 Humanism is the name of an undertaking begun about the 

 year 1300 in which the goal was the discovery and promul- 

 gation of the good life on this lowly planet by the use of 



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