194 DOGMATISM AND EVOLUTION 



ble degree of organization and mutual dependence of concepts. 

 It is largely the fact that in the general concept the relationship 

 to other concepts has come to be so distinct and to form so 

 prominent a part of the content, that causes the development 

 of conceptual thought and the development of language to co 

 incide. Moreover, it is worth observing that the more indirect 

 a reference to conduct concepts bear, the wider is their range of 

 communicability. That is to say, where such reference is com 

 paratively indirect, communication is possible between individ 

 uals whose experiences are comparatively dissimilar; and on the 

 contrary, where concepts are comparatively simple, and refer 

 more directly to conduct, communication is limited to individuals 

 whose habitual daily experiences differ little. We may see this 

 illustrated on a large scale if we observe the effect of national 

 and racial differences upon the cosmopolitan unity of the sciences. 

 In the case of the more abstract sciences, such as logic and 

 mathematics, these differences count for practically nothing. 

 When we come to more concrete sciences, ethics and politics for 

 example, many of the more fruitful developments have had fixed 

 national boundaries. 



In this connection it may be well to mention the reciprocal 

 dependence of thought upon language. Whether or not it is 

 possible for general concepts to be formed in the absence of 

 language, we need not attempt to decide; but certainly it must 

 be admitted that no great development of conceptual thought can 

 take place without the aid of language. In general the advan 

 tages of language for the formation of general concepts are of 

 two sorts. First, there is the important and evident fact, that 

 it is the instrument of communication. It would be difficult 

 to exaggerate the influence of social intercourse in facilitating 

 the formation and development of general concepts. It at once 

 fixes and corrects old concepts and suggests new ones. We have 

 but to reflect that all science, literature, and art are social prod 

 ucts, to realize the part played by social intercourse in our 

 cognitive life. Secondly, the mere fact that a specific verbal 



