THE RELATION OF PURE SCIENCE TO INDUSTRIAL 



RESEARCH.* 



By J. J. Caety. 



It is not strange that many years ago Huxley, with his remark- 

 able precision of thought and his admirable command of language, 

 should have indicated his dissatisfaction with the terms " pure 

 science " and " applied science," pointing out at the same time that 

 what people call " applied science " is nothing but the application 

 of pure science to particular classes of problems. The terms are 

 still employed, possibly because, after all, they may be the best ones 

 to use, or perhaps our ideas, to which these expressions are supposed 

 to conform, have not yet become sufficiently definite to have called 

 forth the right words. 



It is not the purpose of this address, however, to suggest better 

 words or expressions, but rather to direct attention to certain im- 

 portant relations between purely scientific research and industrial 

 scientific research which are not yet sufficiently understood. 



Because of the stupendous upheaval of the European war with its 

 startling agencies of desti-uction — the product of both science and 

 the industries — and because of the deplorable unpreparedness of our 

 own country to defend itself against attack, there has begun a great 

 awakening of our people. By bringing to their minds the brilliant 

 achievements of the membership of this institute in electric lighting 

 and power and communications and by calling their attention to the 

 manifold achievements of the members of our sister societies in 

 mechanical and mining and civil engineering, and the accomplish- 

 ments of our fellow workers, the industrial chemists, they are being 

 aroused to the vital importance of the products of science in the 

 national defense. 



Arising out of this agitation comes a growing appreciation of the 

 importance of industrial scientific research, not only as an aid to 

 military defense but as an essential part of every industry in time 

 of peace. 



' President's? address at the Thirty-Third Annual Convention of the American Institute 

 of Electrical Engineers, Cleveland, Ohio, Juno 27, 1916. Copyright, 1916, by American 

 Institute of Electrical Engineers. Reprinted by permission. 



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