THE TWO ASPECTS OF SCIENCE 15 



admitted. I refer to history and economics. The 

 judgment on these claims cannot, of course, be properly 

 passed until our inquiry into the characteristics of science 

 are further advanced ; but it will be convenient to antici- 

 pate some of our conclusions in order to dismiss the 

 matter. When he has read the two following chapters, 

 the reader should consider the question for himself. 



Pthe view to which I incline is that history cannot be 

 usefully grouped with the characteristic sciences, and the 

 reason will appear at once in Chapter III. The main 

 concern of history is not with laws, but with particular 

 events. The decision concerning economics is more 

 difficult. A civilized community is part of " nature " 

 and there is no reason for thinking that such a com- 

 munity may not be subject to laws in the scientific sense. 

 But I have very grave doubt whether any economic 

 " laws" hitherto enunciated are laws in that sense ; and 

 the basis of my doubt will appear in the next chapter. 

 Economics might be, and some day may be, a science ; 

 but at present it is not. That is my opinion ; but as I 

 profess no special knowledge of economics, it may easily 

 be wrong. But I think it is certain that economics, 

 whether or no it is a science,^is so^different from those 

 that we are going to consider that it would be rash to 

 apply to it any of the conclusions that we shall reach. 



