CHAPTER VIII 



CONCEPTUAL RECONSTRUCTION 



i. IF the common-sense order could not satisfy the 

 spiritual cravings of man, neither could it, without serious 

 modification, meet the demands of science. 



Scientific thinking, indeed, is not distinguished from 

 common sense by any peculiar assumptions, by any limita- 

 tions of method or by any restriction to one field of experi- 

 ence rather than another. It is distinguished, first, by its 

 motive. It aims at the discovery of truth and at no other 

 result. It is detached from emotional, personal or practical 

 objects. It is distinguished, secondly, by its continuity 

 and exhaustiveness of treatment. It is not content with 

 isolated results, but conceives its subject as a connected 

 whole and investigates all that it can find which has a 

 bearing thereon. It is distinguished, thirdly, by the 

 exactness which in all its results it seeks to attain. Detach- 

 ment, continuity and accuracy * are the three marks of any 

 science, and any study so marked is scientific, no matter 

 what its subject may be. 



Now continuous, consecutive and accurate investigation 

 arises at an early stage in relation to the arts and handi- 

 crafts, and though the motive here is in the main practical, 

 we have in the training of the craftsman the beginnings 

 of system. In the early Oriental civilisations we have, 



1 It is a part of accuracy to state definitely the degree of indefiniteness 

 attaching to our knowledge and the measure of probability attaching to 

 what is uncertain. Hence science is not limited to the definitely 

 known, but also measures the degree of our knowledge where it is 

 incomplete. 



