THE AIM AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD. 125 



we can reduce not only "things" and their "qualities," both 

 primary and secondary, but even, perhaps, psychical existences 

 as well.* Having served its purpose of leading to the most 

 complete "synoptic inventory" that physical science has 

 reached, it must, unless its Objectivity (in the sense in which 

 we use that term) has been incidentally established, resign the 

 claim to belong to the realm of facts which it has served both to- 

 render intelligible and to increase, and be contented to be 

 recognised as merely the powerful assimilative and expository 

 instrument that no one will deny it to be. 



* Ostwald, Naturphilosophie, esp. Ch. 18. 



