Introduction 31 



their better moral natures, became painfully conscious 

 of this depraved state of affairs, and began to utter 

 vigorous protests against the whole social system. 

 Back to nature became the watchword. 



Besides these reformers, there were less obvious 

 though more potent forces turning men's minds to 

 the reality of things. The development of wants 

 accompanying social integration and social differen- 

 tiation led the strongest minds to employ themselves 

 with the solution of those problems which would tend 

 to satisfy those larger wants of society as opposed to 

 individual wants. Humanistic acumen turned its 

 attention to nature, testing the metaphysical system 

 of human beliefs and the artificial practices of their 

 age by skillful observation and experiment. The 

 remarkable results of this method in discovering 

 means whereby to control the physical forces of nature 

 gave a renewed impetus to the growth of science. In 

 the presence of modern science, the struggle for exist- 

 ence has again been shifted, and other qualifications 

 are now essential in that struggle; hence shifting 

 standpoints and new ideals. The idol now is no longer 

 the secluded scholar, but rather a "rough rider " or 

 the president of a steel trust. 



If we consider the remarkable complexity of social 

 structure at the present time, where each individual 

 must have a special fitness for special work, or be an 

 outcast of society, we can readily understand that, while 

 the forces of social evolution have from time to time 

 caused shifting standpoints, and the changing needs in 

 the struggle for existence have caused changing ideals, 

 these latter, in turn, tend to produce varying needs. 



The needs arising from the struggle for existence 

 are now chiefly physical and intellectual. To be 

 able successfully to satisfy such wants, physical and 

 intellectual training are of course essential. Applied 

 science thus becomes a prominent factor in education. 



