112 



PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. 



"kind, though in a degree arbitrary, and Mr. Herbert Spencer's 

 dogmatic classification, the only objection to which is that it 

 does not show how science was obtained unless we bear in 

 mind the process of evolution and interaction which the 

 author has not failed satisfactorily to elucidate with his usual 

 grasp and clearness. 



Comte classifies the fundamental sciences, which he 

 reduces to six and groups into two classes, according to their 

 natural dependence the most general phenomena going on 

 successively to the more particular. 



" Each of the sciences," says Comte, " presents some in- 

 dication appropriate to itself, which ought to be studied at 

 its source to be duly appreciated. Mathematical science 

 exhibits the elementary conditions of positivity ; astronomy 

 determines the true study of Nature ; physics teaches us the 

 theory of experimentation ; chemistry offers us the art of 

 nomenclature ; and physiology discloses the theory of classi- 

 fication." 



Mr. HERBERT SPENCER has proposed another CLASSIFI- 

 CATION which, though dogmatic in the sense indicated above, 

 is nevertheless strictly based upon the principle of evolution. 



^Science is 



that which treats 



of the 

 phenomena 

 themselves 



I. Abstract Science treats of 



II. Abstract-Concrete Science treats 



1.1. Concrete Science treats of .. 



in their true 

 elements ; 



in their 

 totalities. 



j I. The universal law of relation I Mostlyexdusively 

 ( 1 1. The laws of relations . . j Mathematics. 



/ I. The universal laws offerees') 



f Mostly Statics and 



\ II. The laws of forces as mani- f Dynamics, 

 fested by matter . . . . ) 



r 



I. The universal laws of distri- 

 bution of ending matter 

 and motion.. 



The universal laws of distri- 

 bution continuing matter 

 and motion 



From Astronomy 

 to Sociology. 



Each of these two classifications has its distinct merits 

 Comte's has the merit of simplicity, Spencer's the merit of 



