Contribution of the Social Sciences 235 



men are turning away from false theories as to 

 the natiire and structure of human society and are 

 finding instead the true principles of co-operation 

 and justice upon which all human relationships 

 are naturally based. Under the false Ptolemaic 

 system, with the earth as the centre, an extra- 

 ordinarily complex system of cycles and epicycles, 

 of crystal spheres and celestial orbits, had to be 

 built up to explain the revolution of the planets 

 and the sun around the earth, while every new fact 

 which was discovered increased the complexity 

 of the system. As soon as the sun came to be 

 considered as the central body, however, the 

 solar system became extraordinarily simple, with 

 the planets revolving in majestic ellipses around a 

 common focus at the sun, while every new fact 

 that was discovered fitted into its proper place and 

 made the system more perfect and more complete. 

 Thus the way was opened for Kepler's discovery 

 of the three great laws of planetary motion; this 

 in turn led the way to Newton's discovery of 

 the law of gravitation and so the foundations were 

 laid for all the marvellous developments of the 

 modern physical sciences. 



In the same manner a false social philosophy, 

 out of accord with the great fundamental facts of 

 human society, has led to an infinite complication 

 and distortion of the whole social structure, while 

 a new and true social philosophy, based upon 

 direct observation of the facts of social life and 

 upon their scientific study and systematization, 



