II. 



THE PLACE OF BIOLOGY IN HUMAN 

 KNOWLEDGE AND ENDEAVOUR. 1 



We meet in the shadow cast by the greatest war in 

 human history. To many of us that shadow is specially 

 deep. We see our fellow-men willingly offering their 

 own lives, and the lives of their best and dearest, for 

 great ideals. The main problems as to the meaning of 

 human life and endeavour are thus thrust upon us, and 

 specially on those who have to remain behind. 



We are a body of scientists or of persons interested 

 in, and willing to devote such time as we can to science. 

 What, in the last resort, are" our aims, and are they 

 worthy aims ? This is the question which I wish to 

 bring before you to the best of my ability, and with 

 special reference to biology, and more particularly the 

 physiological side of it — the branch of science on which 

 I feel most qualified to speak. 



Many persons would, I think, incline to the opinion 

 that science is essentially the pursuit of pure truth, 

 apart from any practical needs and interests ; and that 

 while the practical applications of scientific discovery 

 are all to the good, the real aims of science are altogether 



1 Presidential Address, South-Eastern Union of Scientific 

 Societies, June 1915. 



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