i8o SCIENCE REMAKING THE WORLD 



2. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCIENTIFIC SPIRIT.-^ 

 This is a result of such fundamental importance that it 

 must be considered, for it is revolutionizing the mental 

 attitude of the human race. Its relation to the study 

 of evolution may not be clear, but it was the study of 

 evolution that revolutionized science and put it upon 

 its present basis. The scientific spirit means a certain 

 attitude of mind, which may be described best by speak- 

 ing of some of its characteristics. 



(i) It is the spirit of inquiry. In our experience we 

 encounter a vast body of established belief in reference 

 to all important subjects, such as society, government, 

 education, religion, etc. It is well if our encounter be 

 only objective, for it is generally true, and a more dan- 

 gerous fact, that we find ourselves cherishing a large' 

 body of belief, often called hereditary, but really the re- 

 sult of early association. Nothing seems more evident 

 than that all this established belief which we encounter 

 belongs to two categories: (i) the priceless result of 

 generations of experience, and (2) heirloom rubbish. 

 Unfortunately, the discovery of the latter has often 

 resulted in weakening the hold of the former. The 

 young inquirer, or the non-logical inquirer, is in danger 

 of condemning all the conclusions of the past when one 

 is found wanting. 



Toward this whole body of established belief the 

 scientific attitude of mind is one of unprejudiced inquiry. 

 It is not the spirit of iconoclasm, as some would be- 

 lieve; but an examination of the foundations of belief. 

 The spirit which resents inquiry into any belief, how- 

 ever cherished, is the narrow spirit of dogmatism; and 



