An Introduction to a Biology 



be admitted that there is more of the investigator 

 in the philosopher than of the philosopher in the 

 investigator. This is only natural. We shall see 

 later on that it is the essential characteristic of the 

 mind of man to extend its operation farther and 

 farther outwards towards things. It is more likely, 

 therefore, that the interest of the philosopher should 

 extend outwards across the intervening region to- 

 wards things, than that the interest of the investi- 

 gator should extend inwards, across it, to the mind. 

 For both are men. 



To the business of investigation there are, as I 

 have said, two parties, and it is especially desirable 

 that the investigator should have his attention 

 drawn to the one in which he is least interested (if 

 indeed he ever gave it a moment's thought), 

 namely, his own mind. 



It must be remembered that in our attempts to 

 solve the problems of nature we are not in the same 

 relation to nature as a boy answering an examina- 

 tion .paper is to the examiner. We are answering 

 questions in an examination paper which we have 

 ourselves set. The formulation of the problem, in 

 however honest a mind, must involve some dim 

 prevision of its solution. The reader may object 

 that the problem is not formulated in the mind, 

 but set by nature. I venture to think not. What 

 appears to me to happen is another result of that 

 ever outward-streaming nature of our interest, to 

 which reference has already been made. The prob- 

 lems originate in our mind, but no sooner have they 

 taken shape than, all unknown to us because we will 

 not turn the eye inwards and keep guard on our 



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