CHAPTER 



THE UTILITY OF SCIENCE 



"The end of our foundation [Salomon's House 

 in the New Atlantis] is the knowledge of causes 

 and the secret motions of things; and the enlarg- 

 ing of the bounds of human empire, to the effect- 

 ing of all things possible." FRANCIS BACON. 



Science for its own Sake Science and Practical Lore 

 Science and Occupation Illustrations of the Practical 

 Utility of the Sciences Danger of Utilitarian Criteria 

 Fundamental Value of "Theoretical Science" Historical 

 Illustrations Socialized Science Summary. 



SCIENCE FOR ITS OWN SAKE. To see things 

 and happenings clearly, both in themselves and 

 in their relations to other things and happenings, 

 is the aim of science. And no one who enjoys 

 scientific work whether at the humble level of 

 accurate description, or at the high level of 

 discovering a formula cares to hear much about 

 the "utility of science." No artist likes utili- 

 tarian valuations of his art, and the scientist 

 understands him in this at least. I also am an 

 artist, he says, or words to that effect, meaning 

 (1) that a scientific investigation is, like a picture, 

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