HUMAN PROSPECTS — BLACKWELDER 277 



no means certain that it is even possible. The eugenicists will prop- 

 erly assert that their advice must be followed, and no doubt there 

 is some hope in their principles and plans; but beyond that it seems 

 evident that education is our best chance. It means educating more 

 people and educating most of them longer — perhaps continuously 

 throughout life. Most important of all, it means educating them far 

 more wisely and efficiently. As a scientist I am perhaps biased in 

 believing that the most important element in this education is the 

 scientific attitude of mind. That does not mean that every person 

 must become a scientist, but that he must acquire the habit of think- 

 ing as a scientist. It means that the great majority should under- 

 stand what science is, what it stands for, and its value to society. 

 They should then be able to recognize the true scientist and distin- 

 guish him from the sciosophist or the imposter. It will also enhance 

 their capacity to judge the merits of their leaders and the general 

 issues of the day. 



Having harped at length on the importance of science, I must ask 

 you not to misunderstand me as implying that science is all we need. 

 It is no panacea for our troubles. Indeed, if we were exclusively 

 scientific we should not be human at all. There are other things that 

 are also necessary — love, art, imagination, intuition, loyalty, poetry, 

 and many others. I merely emphasize the opinion that science is one 

 of the most indispensable factors in civilization. We must become 

 more scientific and especially more widely scientific. 



To say that one vital function of society is more important than 

 another is as pointless as to say that the lungs are more important 

 than the heart. We may, however, be sure that effective education is 

 one of the indispensable concerns of a free civilized nation. In the 

 opinion of Dr. Copeland (1928) "education is incomparably the most 

 important function of society." Without it the state could not en- 

 dure for even a century, for in no other way can the long, slowly won 

 progress of the past be effectively transmitted. Good education is 

 one of the greatest means of national advancement. Poor education 

 insures the decline of a people and even their disappearance as a 

 nation. 



Many of the ablest thinkers in the past, from Plato down to our 

 own day, have felt sure that democracy was an unworkable plan. 

 Much as I hope that they were mistaken, I should feel constrained to 

 agree with them if I did not have some grounds for hoping that we 

 can devise and continually improve a process of education adequate 

 for the requirements of the country; but it will need to be much 

 better than anything we have had thus far. This hope is encouraged 

 by the view of so experienced an educator as ex-President Morgan of 



