General Aims of Nature Study 35 



nature. But wise men pierce this rotten diction and 

 fasten words again to visible things." 



Nature study aims to prevent that rotten diction 

 of which Emerson speaks, and to guard also against 

 that intellectual bankruptcy which compels the use 

 of a paper currency because there is no bullion in the 

 vaults. 



Ideals and Culture in Nature Study. 



The reaction theory recognizes the relation exist- 

 ing between all things, the relation of man to man 

 and to the physical universe. This relation is sup- 

 posed to be one of action and reaction. It, therefore, 

 avoids the extremes of the preformed- evolution theory, 

 the complete isolation of the mind as in the humanistic 

 standpoint, or the extreme, practical view of motor 

 activity of the social theory. (See Part II, Sec. III.) 



Interaction is supposed to result in gradual change 

 whereby complete adaptation to environment is se- 

 cured. Adaptation to human environment means 

 culture. The reaction whereby this harmony be- 

 tween man and man is established is a nervous reac- 

 tion, and involves the development of acute sensibility 

 to all those influences which human society exerts. 

 Acuteness and delicacy in sense-organs and quick 

 cerebral response to every peripheral stimulation are 

 essential to this social adjustment. Physical defects 

 in these respects, such as general sluggishness of the 

 nervous system, may possibly be the reason why some 

 human beings seem incapable of that social adjust- 

 ment which we call culture. 



Delicate nervous organization is apt to result in 

 nervous tension due to overreaction in nervous re- 

 sponse. Hence the too-frequent enervating influence 

 of higher forms of culture. 



A constant necessity for reaction leads to striving 

 after relief a longing for something better than now 



