BIOLOGY AMONG THE SCIENCES 1121 



yet so far conditioned by it, no less applies throughout the whole 

 range of human discourse. Within these parallel and yet unified 

 combinations, our manifold departmental studies come into their 

 right place. For astronomers and geologists, physicists and naturalists 

 too, are alike exploring the environment of all forms of life ; chemists 

 are analysing their aspect of these environments; and all more 

 intensively and comprehensively than ever. 



In his turn the humanist points out that all our sciences have 

 arisen in course of human life and from its activities; hence their 

 histories begin from the simple and elemental ones of early peoples. 

 From such beginnings in social life have developed our histories, 

 languages, and literatures ; simple arts of maintaining life arose from 

 hunting and agricultural beginnings to knowledge of plants and 

 animals, and the accidents and ills of life gave rise to surgery and 

 medicine. So too our physical knowledge, with its increasing com- 

 mand of matter and control of energy, began with early mastery of 

 flint and fire; and even mathematics with simple measurements, 

 derived from the dimensions and movements of the human body. 

 In broad outline then, the long quest of philosophy towards the 

 organisation of knowledge is in principle simple and intelligible, not 

 only to the simplest worker, but even to the inquiring child; and 

 thus one feels compelled to ask how the amazing entanglements and 

 intricacies of thought (and the arrests of it also), in which we 

 educated adults have become involved since these beginnings, can 

 have arisen? Has not this come about, in large measure, at least, 

 through losing sight of this elemental and simple life-clue, amid the 

 ramifications of each thinker's individual development, and amid 

 the unending changes, stresses, and conflicts of this social world? 



Our planning out of the fields of knowledge may thus begin, at 

 simplest, by setting down beside our concretely outlined summary; 

 and — as practically every separate science has done — devising a 

 "department", as our study-shelter, in face of the phenomena to be 

 observed and reflected on. Hence the botanic institute, between 

 field and moor, forest and garden ; and the zoological station between 

 the animal life of the waters and land. Astronomic observatories 

 are ever rising on hilltops for fullest view of the heavens; and the 

 like for all possible departments: witness the archaeologist and the 

 historian in their ancient yet continuing city, the economist amid 

 the labour and traffic of his region, the market of his town, and so 

 on. All these institutes are already in existence, and often not a 

 little developed; but as yet with interests more intensive than 

 mutual: hence, towards reaching some common understanding, we 

 need a simpler and more general plan. This now is easily outlined; 

 even on a sheet of paper; or more vividly, as old geometers were 

 wont to draw their figures, by tracing it upon the sand. Here, then, 

 is such an outline, with three plain-marked squares for the main 



VOL. II cc 



