DARWIN'S VIEWS OF METHOD. 37 



The scientific or inductive method as under- 

 stood and practised by Darwin begins and 

 ends with facts. It takes nothing for granted 

 that relates to the matter under investigation, 

 and assumes as true only such things as the 

 law of causation and the validity of the reason- 

 ing processes; while the deductive method, as 

 understood by him, starts from principles 

 whose truth is not questioned. Regarded 

 simply as a logical process, however, deduc- 

 tion is equally valid whether the premises are 

 assumed to be true or admitted to be hypo- 

 thetical. 



The ideal attitude of the scientific mind is 

 beautifully described in Darwin's own words 

 concerning himself: "I have steadily endeav- 

 ored to keep my mind free so as to give up any 

 hypothesis, however much beloved, (and I can- 

 not resist forming one on every subject,) as 

 soon as facts are shown to be opposed to it. 

 Indeed, I have had no choice but to act in this 

 manner, for, with the exception of the Coral 

 Reefs, I cannot remember a single first -formed 

 hypothesis which had not after a time to be 

 given up or greatly modified. This has natu- 

 rally led me to distrust greatly deductive 

 reasoning in the mixed sciences." 1 *j> ^ 



1 Life and Letters, Vol. I. p. 83. 



