576 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLVII. No. 1224 



science. It is of little value to love truth 

 and justice, if our ignorance makes it im- 

 possible for us to understand what is truth 

 or how to do justice in a given instance. 

 Truth may he relative and justice approxi- 

 mate, but we could do a far better job of 

 it by making intelligent use of the facts we 

 have. 



Many of us believe that science has done 

 more to help the cause of truth and justice 

 in society than has any other line of hu- 

 man endeavor ; for science has taught man 

 the sequence of events to which he must 

 conform if the individual or the nation is 

 to reach its highest development. Because 

 of scientific teaching, men demand to-day 

 reasons for conduct other than traditional 

 prohibitions or indulgences. And these 

 reasons must be based upon scientific facts 

 and presented in terms of scientific method. 

 Science furnishes the groundwork to which 

 our ethical judgment must conform. The 

 old, emotional forms of thought play a 

 losing game. Sentimentality is losing its 

 grip in favor of a calm, farsig'hted determi- 

 nation to know what is true that we may 

 do what is right, which is the highest eth- 

 ical ideal. Science does not furnish the in- 

 centive to truth and justice, but it does 

 furnish the material out of which truth and 

 justice may be constructed by use of the 

 scientific method; and for the individual, 

 it furnishes the data needed for a well- 

 ordered life. 



If you can keep your head when all about you 

 Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; 

 If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, 

 But make allowance for their doubting too: 



Here again, Kipling states our case ; for 

 he presents the ideal of striving for truth 

 and justice, not blindly but with a view to 

 the whole situation. 



"We contend that the scientific method 

 furnishes the only safe approach in our at- 

 tack upon the complex problems of human 



life ; since it enables us to approach these 

 problems in a saner fashion, making for 

 dispassionate judgment and for the elimi- 

 nation of prejudice. Now this elimination 

 of what influences the "you" and the 

 "me," in favor of what can be agreed 

 upon as a fair interpretation by us all, is 

 no easy matter. Scientific men do not al- 

 ways live up to their ideals within their 

 own domain nor do they always carrj' over 

 their ideals to daily life. But this imper- 

 sonal way of thinking is a priceless posses- 

 sion, and if scientific men strive to apply it 

 in life generally the effort is worth while 

 however short it falls. We need more facts 

 of science for our material progress, but 

 more than this we need the method of sci- 

 ence for the penetration of sham and for 

 the elimination of personal interest in our 

 dealings. The plea is not that the scien- 

 tist is always a good citizen, but that the 

 scientific method is useful for the citizen; 

 that, as social life becomes more complex, 

 it is necessary for the citizen to apply this 

 method as a tool wherewith to shape the 

 conclusions which shall guide his conduct. 



5. SCIENCE AND EMANCIPATION 



Finally, the value of science inclusive of 

 every other is its influence upon our men- 

 tal outlook ; for only "by the acquisition of 

 a scientiflc habit of mind do we flnd intel- 

 lectual emancipation. In substantiation of 

 such a claim, we may cite the theory of 

 organic evolution, which is the most com- 

 prehensive illustration afforded by the bio- 

 logical sciences, and perhaps by science 

 generally. 



The evolutionary concepts current among 

 the Greeks were tinctured with philosophy. 

 Lacking concreteness, they made little 

 headway; and we flnd the beginnings of 

 modern evolutionarj^ doctrine in the accum- 

 ulation of facts regarding animals and 



