An Introduction to a Biology 



The aim of the biologist is to discover all about life ; and 

 a biologist is successful in proportion as he contributes to 

 our understanding of vital phenomena. For example, we 

 know something, though very little, about the nature of 

 fertilisation ; but we know next to nothing about the nature 

 of heredity, and absolutely nothing about the causes which 

 determine the sex of animals. We feel fairly sure, now, that 

 animals and plants have descended from pre-existing ones, 

 and that the diversity of forms which exists at the present 

 day is the result of this descent going on hand in hand with 

 a gradual modification. But we do not know how this 

 modification has taken place. We are accustomed to express 

 our belief in the fact of evolution ; but no one pretends to 

 know in detail how it has been brought about. 



These, then, are some of the unsolved problems in biology. 

 And a biologist is successful if he proves one of these mys- 

 teries less of a mystery. Now inasmuch as none of you here 

 will, I suppose, question the desirableness of improving natural 

 knowledge, you will, I conclude, allow that it is profitable to 

 discuss the question, What is it that makes a successful 

 biologist ? in order that we may quicken our progress in 

 biological discovery. Some of you here will form part (as 

 indeed some of you already do) of the body of investigators 

 whose business is the study of life ; and it is meet that we 

 should consider what are the things which retard progress 

 in this branch of knowledge, and what are the things which 

 help it. It is my object this evening to suggest lines of 

 thought which may help you to form a definite opinion on 

 this matter. 



The process by which the biologist performs his task con- 

 sists of two stages. The first is the description of phenomena, 

 the second is the formulation of theories to account for them 

 Description is a record of what we perceive ; interpretation 

 what we achieve by reasoning. And, broadly speaking, I 

 think it is reasonable to hold that the difference between man 

 and the other animals is that whilst the other animals do 

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