THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN LIBERAL EDUCATION 497 



discovers how the skeletal system achieves its end; and then 

 the digestive, circulatory, respiratory, and excretory systems 

 are easily seen as the means of providing the energy necessary 

 for this movement. Correlation between this study of man and 

 general science topics invariably arouses considerable interest. 

 IMost machine types, for example, can be found in the structure 

 of the human skeleton and its interrelation with the muscles. 

 The study of work, energy, and machines is fascinating when 

 one's ordinary movement becomes the example of a simple 

 machine in operation. The digestive system provides an op- 

 portunity to consider nutrition, which in turn requires some 

 understanding of basic chemistry. The physical and chemical 

 properties of air and the topics of weather and climate are 

 taught after the respiratory system. Thus the essential general 

 science topics, with the exception of heat, power, electricity, 

 and conservation, are incorporated into the first year course. 

 The study of the nervous system includes a consideration of 

 the internal senses and a brief but enlightening introduction to 

 some elementary principles of psychology. The student ulti- 

 mately realizes that man's powers are not limited to vegetative 

 and sentient functions. This simple presentation of the theory 

 of knowledge as the culminating subject of the first year reveals 

 why rational man is capable of controlling himself and his 

 surroundings. 



Mans Mastery of His World, the second year course, provides 

 a comparable investigation of other creatures. The general 

 science topics are again presented in conjunction with relevant 

 zoological, botanical, and ecological subjects. The aim of these 

 in second year is to show that man can use his rational powers 

 to know, conserve, and control his environment. The inter- 

 relation of this course with religion, English and mathematics 

 is noteworthy. The principles of definition and the concept of 

 demonstrative reasoning are presented in the English and 

 mathematics courses of the second year; these elements of logic 

 find ample application in the natural science course. Similarly 

 the understanding of man's emotional and intellectual life, em- 

 phasized in the natural science course, is an excellent prepara- 



