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PART V. WORKING STAGE. 



to any investigation should never be hypothetically supposed 

 to be scanty in number or non-existent, because they are diffi- 

 cult to procure. For example, Lavoisier imagined that organic 

 compounds were combinations of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. 

 Experiment has added to these in the course of time not only 

 nitrogen, but about a dozen other elements. 



Another instance. How far can we legitimately speak of 

 common interests between nations? We might notice the 

 outstanding case of the imposing national imports and exports, 

 and rest satisfied therewith. Or we might add to this emigra- 

 tion and immigration statistics and the legions of individuals 

 travelling in search of enjoyment, health, study, and profit. 

 Pressing on, we might with advantage refer to the hundreds 

 of international associations and their congresses as well as to 

 the internationalisation of the sciences and the arts. If, however, 

 we aspire to a truly adequate conception of common interests 

 between nations, we should, according to Conclusion 25 /, run 

 systematically through the physical, biological, and cultural 

 sciences, together with the arts, crafts, and customs, as epito- 

 mised, for instance, in Conclusion 33. The haphazard selection 

 of one or a few unconnected particulars must be eschewed at 

 all costs. 



Here is a further example. In reconstructing industrial pro- 

 cesses along scientific lines, attention was initially focused on 

 the most prominent factors elimination of unnecessary move- 

 ments, of slowness, and of sensible fatigue. If, however, we 

 desire to be veritably comprehensive, we commence at the 

 beginning intention to perform a task, willing it, sensing 

 material constituents or recollecting mental ones, studying simpli- 

 fication, rapidity, pauselessness, energy, and fatiguelessness of 

 movements, allowing for thought, volition, and feeling through- 

 out, and enumerating completely the principal external factors 

 influencing the quantity and the quality of the output as found 

 in Conclusion 10 and continuing thus right to the end. Only 

 in this manner can we ascertain whether some valuable con- 

 stituent .has not been overlooked. Moreover, there is no suffi- 

 cient methodological reason, apart from the absence of a me- 

 thodology, why the systematic enumeration of factors should 

 not have been undertaken at the very inception of the scientific 

 efficiency movement. 



Similarly, with the general problem of dietetics. Instead of 

 fastening on one or a few important aspects, there should be 

 an endeavour to collect all that is relevant and of moment. 

 Such aspects might be considered to be (a) food containing 

 the necessary nutritive ingredients (including vitamines) for 

 ensuring and maintaining robust health; (b) such food as is 

 most easily digested and most fully absorbed; (c) clean and 

 well prepared food cleanly served; (rf) keeping close to the 

 minimum required for sound health and arranging for the 



