ADDRESSES 19 
Addresses 
THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN MODERN CIVILIZATION 
JoHN M. Coutter, UNiversiry or CHICAGO 
At the present time science is being called upon as never be- 
fore to help this country meet a great emergency. This is 
merely public recognition of the relation between science and 
the public welfare that has always existed, but has not been 
realized. 
When President Wilson, in 1916, asked the National Acad- 
emy of Science to appoint a National Research Council, it was 
because of his conviction that the aid of science was necessary 
to develop the national resources to their maximum. Ever 
since that time scientific men have been called to the assistance 
of the government in increasing numbers. In consequence, the 
practical men of affairs are beginning to realize the debt of 
civilization to science, a debt incurred during the times of 
peace in much more fundamental service than in meeting the 
emergencies of war. Such men understand now that all they 
have been able to do in the past, and all hope of future material 
progress depends upon the results of scientific research. It is 
high time that the service of science should be more generally 
understood. not so much that science may be appreciated, but 
chiefly that it may be enabled to render a still greater service. 
Now that science has come into public notice in connection 
with war, it is a fitting time to call attention to its more funda- 
mental service to a civilization at peace. 
The service of science expresses itself in three general ways 
which are not mutually exclusive, but complementary. Opinions 
may differ as to the relative importance of these three kinds of 
service, but there is no difference of opinion as to their value. 
I wish to present them in what I conceive to be the order of 
their importance. 
I. The first service of science is to extend the boundaries of 
human knowledge. It sets up as its goal to understand nature. 
We speak of “conquering nature,” and of making her a servant 
