10 THE AIM AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD. 



falsity. It hardly needs remark that Science deals with 

 Objective as well as with Objckte not only, for example, with 

 zinc, sulphuric acid, and hydrogen, but also with the fact that 

 zinc displaces hydrogen from sulphuric aci<y But it will be 

 recognised just as readily that it concerns itself only with 

 Objektive which are believed to be true. Finally, then, the 

 Objective, as here conceived, includes (1) all Otyekte (according 

 to Mr. Eussell), or all that have existence or subsistence 

 (according to Meinong) ; and (2) all true Oljcktive. 



4. 



In the last section only the broadest outline was given of 

 the classification of its objects which is implicitly made by 

 common thought. But the Objective contains and Science 

 accepts at the outset of its task much more than these very 

 general distinctions. The most important of the details 

 which may be said to constitute the " plain man's " view of the, 

 world are implied in the common structure of languages. 

 This structure was elaborated doubtless in order to meet the 

 exigencies of our transactions with the world of physical 

 existence ; primarily, therefore, it affords information about the 

 view which mankind has universally taken of that order of 

 r reality. Briefly,* that view is that the physical world is a 

 collection of Things, possessed of Qualities, occupying cor- 

 related positions in the great " continuous receptacles " of Space 

 and Time, and capable of Activities, in the course of which the 

 things may " change " in respect of their qualities, their mode 

 of occupation of space or their spatial relations to other 

 things, and may "cause" similar .changes in other things. 

 The critical examination of the notions indicated notions 

 which everywhere permeate ordinary expressions of experience 

 is part of the special business of Philosophy,f and cannot be 



* Sigwart, Logic, I, ch. i. Cf. Sweet, History of Language, 1900, 

 pp. 47 et seq. 



t See, e.g., Hodgson, Proc. Arist. Soc., N.S., IV, p. 2. 





