34 PBOCEEDINGS OF THE 



of rival taxonomic hypotheses and consume time in discussing 

 niceties of uomench'iture. But this does not entith^ the laboratory 

 student to speak of the field-naturalist as a " mere collector " ; 

 to descrihe the record-work of the observatory and the descriptive 

 work of the museum as "■ mere compilation." Even wlien the 

 laboratory worker admits both experiment and observation to 

 seats at the table of science, he too often tries to place obser- 

 vation " below the salt." This attitude involves an attempt to put 

 asunder methods which are as much helpmeets now as they were 

 in the XYII. Century. 



More detrimental still to philosophical study is the growing 

 modern tendency of academic and experimental science to dis- 

 courage amateur effort. This tendency sometimes manifests 

 itself even in the field of natural history. How short-sighted 

 the tendency may be, the experience of one brancli of our ])ur- 

 suits suggests. The profession of John Eay, Stephen Hales, 

 Miles Berkeley, and Gregor Mendel was the cure of souls. 

 As amateurs they placed plant-system, plant-mechanics, plant- 

 pathology, and plant-genetics on firm foundations. 



Our examination of the activities of science has made it clear 

 that the cause of this distemper is not inherent. We must 

 therefore look for it in the relationship which subsists between 

 philosophical study and the business of life. The influence of 

 this study on human affairs, though it passes through various 

 recognizable stages, is continuous and uniform. The reactions 

 of the business of life on philosophical study, on the other 

 hand, are different at every stage and are complex at particular 

 stages. 



Philosophical study influences more immediately those techno- 

 logical activities which interpret the messages of science to traffic 

 and craftsmanship. Tlirough these technologies it affects industry 

 and commerce themselves ; the organized state whose duties 

 include those of fostering and safeguarding industry and com- 

 merce ; the community at large for whose benefit industry and 

 commerce are carried on, and on whose behalf the organized state 

 exercises authority. 



When the knowledge applied is provided by an observational 

 science, the technology involved is often a direct development 

 of that science and the relationship between the technological 

 activity and philosophical study is intimate and cordial. But 

 where the technologies involved are experimental in their method, 

 they are often evolutions of the ijidustries which they benefit. 

 Such technologies, moreover, may derive their kno\Aledge from 

 several branches of science. There is no outstanding obligation 

 and no feeling of filial piety ; towards philosophical study these 

 experimental technologies therefore usually display an attitude of 

 independence, occasionally one of aggression. 



The case of traffic is more complex. There are two kinds of 

 traffic — one in raw material, which precedes, one in finished 

 produce, which follows industrial practice. Both kinds of traffic 



