I2O The Nature-Study Idea 



they would be scientists. He did not consider 

 that all pupils would not be scientists. 



Sometimes it seems as if scientists assume that 

 they have the right of way in the subjects which 

 they espouse; but there is more than one way 

 of interpreting nature. This domination is 

 well illustrated in the usurpation of common 

 words. The word "organic" relates to organ- 

 isms and their products. But when the chemist 

 studies the composition of organic compounds 

 he defines the word in terms of chemistry. To 

 him an organic compound may be a carbon 

 compound or a carbohydrate derivative; and he 

 can make an organic compound without any 

 relation to an organism ! Organic is a biologi- 

 cal, not a chemical idea. Again, our fore- 

 fathers used the word "bug" for many kinds of 

 insects; but scientists have taken this word 

 "bug" and have made it mean only a particular 

 kind of a bug. This is all well enough amongst 

 themselves, but when they attempt to make all 

 the rest of the world use "bug" as they do, they 

 go too far. Our forefathers have prior claims. 

 It would be better if newly-made words could 



