The Frontiers of the Sciences 



approximate idea of the partitions separating 

 the different courses of study, and a glance is 

 sufficient to show how illogical and arbitrary 

 they are. It is surprising to find astronomy 

 classified with the mathematical sciences, since its 

 concrete object of study identifies it more with 

 the experimental sciences. The same may be 

 said of mechanics, which has been turned into 

 an abstract science devoted to discussions on 

 mathematical points and hypothetical forces, 

 instead of teaching the practical issues which 

 are left neglectfully to the technical schools. 

 The division of natural science, according to the 

 three kingdoms of Nature, rests upon the idea 

 of an abrupt demarcation, an idea which science 

 has abandoned, and presents the double defect 

 of perpetuating inaccurate notions and obscuring 

 some of the deepest and truest analogies of 

 nature. 



Without dwelling upon this point we recog- 

 nise that no classification can be irreproach- 

 able. The fact remains that divisions, good or 

 bad, exist. Let us see what part they play. 



The sciences are in perpetual evolution. 



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