ORGANIZATION OF THE SCIENCES 



mena become more and more complicated, our 

 ability to make use of these implements in- 

 creases. In astronomy we have only observation 

 to help us ; but astronomic phenomena are com- 

 paratively simple, so that we have here a highly 

 developed science. In biology we can use all 

 three implements ; and so, in spite of the com- 

 plexity of vital phenomena, we have here a 

 tolerably well-organized science. But in me- 

 teorology, we have to deal with very complex 

 phenomena, and still have no resource save in 

 steadfast observation. Hence meteorology is 

 still a very backward science, — more backward 

 even than sociology, of which the phenomena 

 are far more complex. 



According to Mr. Spencer, phenomena are 

 also generalized early in proportion as they di- 

 rectly affect human welfare. But this circum- 

 stance would appear to have far less potency 

 than the others above enumerated. There is, 

 of course, no doubt that men will earliest study 

 those subjects which most obviously concern 

 them ; but whether their study will be fruitful 

 or not depends, as it seems to me, upon the 

 other factors in the case above enumerated. 

 I doubt if there is any instance in which this 

 factor has actually overruled the other factors, 

 as these have continually overruled each other. 

 Sociology is the science which, more than all 

 others, would seem to have direct practical 



37 

 I 



