4 THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE IN AMERICA 



The importance of science to us as a nation, and to man- 

 kind as a whole, is now generally recognized. Yet, even among 

 those otherwise well informed, there is much misapprehension 

 as to what constitutes science. Under the abnormal conditions 

 of the present day, perspective has in a large measure been 

 lost; there is a pronounced tendency to magnify the import- 

 ance of the immediate future in comparison with that of a more 

 distant time. 



Most men, when they speak of science today, have in mind 

 technical or applied science. In their minds they see America 

 manufacturing her own dyes, supplying her own nitrates, and 

 what not. This is all yery well, but the problem involved in 

 these instances lies not so much in the realm of science as in 

 that of political economy or business finance. Doing what others 

 have done before us does not constitute scientific activity; sci- 

 ence is essentially creative. When we are doing what others 

 have not done, when Germany or France or any other country 

 begins to introduce processes which were originated and 

 developed in America, then, and only then, can it be said that 

 we have attained a position in science commensurate with our 

 position as a nation. But before this happy condition can be 

 brought about, not merely technical science but science itself, 

 the knowledge of the laws of nature, must be developed in 

 America to a point in advance of that of other nations. 



Much confusion has arisen from a lack of understanding of 

 the true meaning of the terms pure science and technical or 

 applied science. Actually there is no distinction between them 

 save one of degree. Applied science necessarily deals with that 

 phase of science whose results are more or less immediately 

 applicable to the needs of man; pure science is concerned with 

 the discovery of new and fundamental irelationships among 

 the complex phenomena of nature in order that man's dominion 

 over nature may be extended. The pure science of today serves 

 as the foundation upon which the great technical developments 

 of tomorrow will be based. It is surprising, indeed, how many 

 men, otherwise well informed, have shown themselves ignorant 

 or unmindful of the fundamental dependence of technical sci- 

 ence on its apparently less practical precursor. 



