Sir David Prain 69 



knowledge was re-sanctioned and the applied worker once more came 

 into his own. 



We may regret the restriction. We have, however, to adnyt that the 

 treatment accorded to natural study and spiritual discussion was strictly 

 impartial. Dogma became the substitute for both and remained in 

 operation for a millennium. 



When effective objection to dogma eventually arose, the protest 

 against the spiritual variety found greatest popular support. But the 

 less articulate revolt against natural dogma was that whose effects have 

 been most enduring. In some countries the desire for spiritual emanci- 

 pation was sHght. There ecclesiastical authority encouraged natural 

 enquiry, provided the results published did not controvert scripture. 

 In lands where a reformed spiritual doctrine became dominant the 

 tendency was to make the embargo on natural study more stringent. 

 Protestant conviction enmlated primitive faith in its condemnation of 

 profane efforts to apply natural knowledge for the good of the com- 

 munity. 



Few of those Governments that with the help of popular antagonism 

 to spiritual dogma had thrown off one ecclesiastical yoke were minded 

 to subject themselves to another. They therefore encouraged the pro- 

 motion of natural knowledge on the understanding that any new know- 

 ledge secured be improved in the pubhc interest. 



The apphcation of natural knowledge thus encouraged by the State 

 and assented to by philosophy, had as its basis the promotion of such 

 knowledge. The promotion of natural knowledge involves two opera- 

 tions: the search for further truth and the co-ordination of new facts 

 with pre-existing knowledge. The search for truth is a constructive 

 activity involving original enquiry. The co-ordination of knowledge is 

 a critical activity which may reveal the need for research into subjects 

 hitherto accepted as explained. Enquiry and research are only pre- 

 hminaries to consideration as to how far and in what way their results 

 may be improved. In applying such results it was agreed that improve- 

 ment for use take precedence over improvement for discovery. 



Apphcation of knowledge for use takes two forms. The knowledge 

 may be employed to promote intellectual development or to supply 

 material needs. The former usage gave rise to studies once known as 

 "moral history"' and "moral philosophy," the latter to studies termed 

 "natural history" and "natural philosophy." The first of these terms 

 has disappeared; the others are still famihar, though in all the signifi- 

 cance of the term has changed. 



