66 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. L. No. 1281 



Burning the position of acting principal of Mc- 

 Gill University. 



At McGill University Captain S. E. Whit- 

 nall, demonsitrator of human anatomy, Oxford, 

 has been appointed professor of anatomy, and 

 John Tait, lecturer in experimental physiol- 

 ogy in the University of Edinburgh, professor 

 of physiology. 



DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE 



THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND THE AMER- 

 ICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCE- 

 MENT OF SCIENCE 



To THE Editor of Science: From the dis- 

 cussions taking place concerning the history 

 of science, and from the opening up of other 

 unexplored fields of thought and research, it 

 is happily only too evident that this country 

 is once more approaching peace conditions and 

 looking forward to greater things — among 

 them, a fundamental position in education 

 and science. 



The letters in Science, April 4, by Dr. Felix 

 N'eumann, and May 9 by Dr. George A. Miller, 

 have simply expressed a phase of the current 

 of thought passing through our revision of 

 ideas concerning the importance of science, 

 study and research — all tending to a broader 

 cultured type of scientific learning. It is not 

 so much as emphasizing a national character- 

 istic in the great international unification of 

 learning, but as developing a new epoch in the 

 history of science itself. In the words of Dr. 

 George Sarton — we must try to reconcile 

 idealism and knowledge, science and art, 

 truth and beauty — the ability of every one to 

 do so is the real measure of his education. 

 In the last analysis it is the message of the 

 ITew Humanism. 



For this reason, if for no other, the study of 

 the history of Science is to be encouraged, and 

 no greater impetus can be given to it than 

 by a full recognition of this ne-w Section " K " 

 by the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science. 



This matter was broached during 1915 in 

 an article in Scfence^ which resulted in a 

 number of letters giving encouragement, but 



1 Science, N. S., Vol. XLI., No. 1053, March 5, 

 1915, pp. 358-360. 



like all such advancing ideals, not pertaining 

 to the war, it made no progress. 



The writer wrote to Dr. J. McKeen Cattell, 

 editor of Science, concerning this proposed 

 Section in the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science and in reply the fol- 

 lowing statement was received. 



I should think that there would be a good deal 

 to be said for a section of the American Associa- 

 tion for the Advancement of Science devoted to the 

 history and methods of science. It might be best 

 to begin with a sub-section under the section of 

 anthropology and psychology, and it could be seen 

 whether enough interest were taken to justify the 

 establishment of a section. The best plan would 

 doubtless be to correspond with those interested 

 and then present a statement to the council of the 

 association. 



In another letter, quoting from Dr. Lynn 

 Thomdike, Department of History, Western 

 Reserve University, a proposition was ad- 

 vanced for the same purpose — namely, to call 

 together a group of interested persons (no 

 matter from what field of research) to discuss 

 plans for an organization to be afiiliated with 

 the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science. Therefore, it might be said 

 that the time is propitious for such an organi- 

 zation, especially as we will note further from 

 other facts. 



Dr. ^Neumann's plan for Section " K " 

 would attract not alone scientists, but also 

 historians of the social, economic and polit- 

 ical science groups. Philosophers too, would 

 no doubt be interested. This, then, would 

 tend to make the American Association for 

 the Advancement of Science an "encyclo- 

 pedic " organization. 



In Dr. Neumann's letter to Dr. Howard, he 

 emphasizes the principle of " nationalism " by 

 making the purpose of the section to the 

 study of the history and progress of science in 

 America alone. Much valuable work can be 

 done here, to be sure, "but can we afford to 

 neglect the centuries gone before ? " IQ'or has 

 Dr. Neumann mentioned what historical work 

 has been done in the United States al- 

 ready. These attempts are worthy of men- 

 tion, since they form a beginning and step- 

 ping stones as well as examples for other fields 



