126 SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT SCIENCE AND LIFE. 



by fear of consequences, for the more discoveries lie 

 makes the greater his fame and his reward. He and his 

 fellow-laborers, if they are worthy members of the order, 

 are trying to find out things as they are ; and if one sup- 

 posed scientific fact after another tumbles down as new 

 revelations come out, why, this only causes general ex- 

 ultation and not persecution and abuse. Scientific re- 

 search then does kindle this love of truth — of truth for 

 its own sake ; and this openness of mind is an admirable 

 thing to possess and deserving of the widest encourage- 

 ment. 



Now these and other benefits that accrue to the indi- 

 vidual engaged in scientific investigation — thoroughness, 

 application, the power of discrimination, and of logical 

 reasoning, and a love for truth for its own sake — are 

 benefits — why ? Why are they extolled and why do we 

 extol them? Why are not slovenliness of work, inatten- 

 tion of mind, want of discrimination, inability to reason 

 and indifference to truth, objects of eulogium, instead of 

 their opposites ? 



There can be but one answer to this question. These 

 qualities enable man to fulfill more completely the pur- 

 poses of his being, they teach him the better how to live, 

 by drawing out and developing those qualities within 

 him which have caused his ascendency in the past and 

 which must be retained and enlarged for his increased 

 development in the future. It is this fact that gives to 

 these attributes the merit that tliey possess. They are 

 useful because they aid him to fit in more harmoniously 

 with the world in which he lives, to adapt himself more 

 intelligently to his environment, and this makes possible 

 the higher development of himself. 



These qualities of mind that are fostered by scientific 

 study are valuable not only to the scientist, but they are 

 of equal value to those in every other walk in life. In 

 every occupation in which men engage they are useful ; 



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