102 INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE 



Sciences from Synoptic Physical Sciences. In the 

 former, such as Molar and Molecular Physics, 

 the processes can be described in terms of ideal 

 motions; in the latter, such as Chemistry and 

 Geology, this can be done only in part. But 

 portions of the Synoptic Sciences are always 

 passing into the Precise Sciences. 



The term "Exact Science" may be used more 

 generally to indicate all science that has resolutely 

 begun to "measure," including in "measurement" 

 all forms of precise registration. Not a little of 

 the modern work in pyschology is very exact, 

 but the description of its subject-matter "in 

 terms of ideal motions" is certainly not its 

 end. 



In further illustration, let us ask why we hesi- 

 tate in applying to Biology the term "Exact 

 Science" which we unhesitatingly accord to 

 Astronomy. The reasons are two, intrinsic and 

 extrinsic. The intrinsic reason is that Biology 

 deals with living creatures, which are personal 

 agents, variable and spontaneous, always to some 

 extent unpredictable. We deal in Biology with 

 an order of phenomena more complex than in 

 Astronomy, and our knowledge is proportionately 

 lacking in exactness. 



The extrinsic reason is that Biology is a young 

 science and Astronomy a very old one. The 

 Astronomer is a master-workman, the Biologist 



