foo _ NATURE 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1923. 


CONTENTS. BP 
The Social Influence of Science. By F. S. Marvin 209 
Phantasms of the Living. By Dr. T. W. Mitchell. 211 
The Synthetic Colour Industry. By G. T. M. a ale 
Rea’s ‘‘ British “repaint % Pa Prof. A. H. 
Reginald Buller . r . - ie) 
An Index to Periodical Liveetuee ‘ 214 
Our Bookshelf J 215 
Letters to the Editor :— 
On the Element of Atomic Number 72.—Profs. G. 
Urbain and A. Dauvillier 218 
Meteorological Nomenclature and Physical Measure- 
ments.—Sir Napier Shaw, F.R.S. . «216 
The Identity of Geber.—Prof. J. R. Partington << 21g 
The Stoat’s Winter Pelage.— Right Hon. ac 
Herbert Maxwell, Bart., F.R.S. . 220 
Stirling’s Theorem. —Dr. John Satterly Pea 2) 
Stonehenge: Concerning the Four Stations. (With 
diagram.)—E. Herbert Stone 220 
A Double-Vertical- Reflection Mirage at Cape \ Wrath. 
(With diagrams.)—D, Brunt . 
The Sugar - Cane Mealy Bug. —Prof. oT, D. A. 
Cockerell 3 223 
Definitions and Laws of ‘Motion! in the Me Principia.” 
By Sir George Greenhill, F.R.S. . 224 
oa Sa toma s as Drift. By 
hilip Lake ° ‘ =) *226 
ada — ° 
Prof. George Lunge. By P. P. B. . 7 ie 
Prof. James Ritchie. ByJ.L.S. . 228 
Mr. W. W. Bryant . é ‘ 229 
Mr. T._ V. Holmes . : ‘ ‘ 229 
Current Topics and Events . a F 230 
Our Astronomical Column : : P = ass 
Research Items ° - 234 
The Conduction of Buiications in Mimosa By R. 
Snow . ° 237 
The Third Air Conference. By Prof. ey Baie, 
F.RS. < oN > age 
Industrial Applications of the Mixtoaccga . 239 
Prof. Michelson’s Work in a pee: 
ferometry . . P + 240 
University and Seid) intelligence . Fs + 240 
Societies and Academies . r ° : - + 241 
Official Publications Received . 5 2 “ - 244 
Diary of Societies . . ° . » - 244 
Editorial ana Publishing Offices : 
MACMILLAN & CO., LTD., 
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Editorial communications to the Editor. 
Telegraphic Address: PHUSIS, LONDON. 
Telephone Number: GERRARD 8830. 
NO. 2781, VOL. 111] 
209 
The Social Influence of Science. 
OME controversy has taken place lately as to the 
part played by science in promoting social 
progress, and an American book appeared in the autumn 
Specially contesting any such claim. The argument is 
difficult to follow. ‘To those who take a broad view of 
history it seems obvious that the growing stability of 
societies, the wider organisation of all kinds of human 
activities, the quicker transport and closer communica- 
tion between nations, are all due mainly to the spread 
of science. To those who look critically at details it 
seems doubtful whether our societies are really stable, 
whether life is now happier or nobler than it was in less 
Scientific days, whether the evils and destruction wrought 
by modern instruments do not outweigh the undoubted 
advantages that science has brought. 
Our judgment in this great debate will be dictated 
largely by our temperament. The critical, the melan- 
choly, the disappointed will be inclined to think that 
the rush, the complexity, the vastness of the modern 
world have brought more evils than they have removed. 
The young and vigorous, those who enjoy life and hope 
for its continuance, will take another view, and these, 
yyyth the improvement in health which still goes on and 
the increase in prosperity which was continuous until 
the war, form a large normal majority. The current 
“depression of spirits, which is not perhaps so widespread 
as is commonly supposed, is due partly to a reaction 
against the exaggerated optimism of the Victorian age, 
partly to the troubles due to the war. It ought to 
be possible to put aside these disturbing influences 
nd take a broad calm view of social progress. In any 
such survey the influence of science in recent centuries 
is necessarily a leading feature. 
Now the first condition of such a review is to make it 
wide enough. The processes of life develop by minute 
changes, and when a violent change does occur, it has 
to be readjusted and equilibrium set up again by 
counterbalancing changes. Hence it would be a gross 
distortion of the truth to judge—and condemn—the 
industrial revolution by comparing peaceful rural 
England with the horrors of the early years of the 
factory system. The latter were new and unforeseen 
facts which called for special remedial measures. It 
is equally absurd at the present day to declare modern 
civilisation bankrupt because the German financial 
system has broken down and no one has yet seen how 
to re-establish international trade and credit. These 
things are momentary, unexpected shocks : the world 
has passed through far worse storms in its time and we 
shall weather the less as we have the greater. A sound 
judgment can be based only on a wide view, and in a 
matter so vast as social progress affected by science , 
