October 26, 1917] 



SCIENCE 



401 



and thoroTighnesa, estreme accuracy and 

 reasonable speed. 



Hence, I believe that the creation of sucb 

 an institute — either as a department of an 

 existing university or other institution, or in- 

 dependently — is the only practical way to make 

 possible this intimate collaboration of historian, 

 scientist and philosopher which is becoming 

 more and more necessary. Moreover, the in- 

 stitute would also provide one of the most 

 effective ways of preparing a much needed 

 reorganization of our educational system, the 

 internal vice of which is clearly proved by the 

 ever recurring controversy " science versus the 

 humanities." It is obvious that the impor- 

 tance of science in education can but increase, 

 but this can not be safely done without intro- 

 ducing a little of the humanistic spirit — i. e., 

 essentially a historical and disinterested 

 point of view — in our scientific and technical 

 studies. There should not be any rivalry be- 

 tween scientific and humanistic studies, but 

 only cooperation to a common end; more 

 knowledge, beauty, justice. Now, the proposed 

 Institute would become the natural center of 

 this Neiv Humanism for which I am pleading ; 

 it would train men imbued by this new ideal 

 — ^not one easily made up of vague generalities, 

 but an idealism constantly rejuvenated and 

 checked by intimate contact with the best 

 available knowledge and the most exacting 

 scholarship. Its humanizing influence would 

 soon be felt all over the country. 



I think that I can say, without any imperti- 

 nence, that one of the shortcomings of this 

 country — one that may imperil the accomplish- 

 ment of her higher destiny — is the relative 

 scarcity of broad and accurate scholarship. 

 This is partly caused by economic conditions 

 discouraging disinterested studies, but it also 

 is due to the absence of a congenial tradition. 

 The institute would establish such a tradition. 



The reader who is in sympathy with the pur- 

 pose of the institute will find no difficulty 

 in appreciating the interesting suggestions 

 published in these columns by Mr. Bert Rus- 

 sell and Mr. Aksel G. S. Josephson. 



Mr. Russell suggests (June 22) that to the 

 activities of the institute be added the follow- 



ing : " the facilitation of prompt and reliable 

 judgments upon all questions of novelty aris- 

 ing in connection with the administration of 

 the patent laws, thereby aiding in the placing 

 of the administration of such laws upon a se- 

 cure scientific foundation." 



There should be indeed as close and friendly 

 a collaboration as possible between the insti- 

 tute and the Patent Office. But we must not 

 forget that the collections of the Patent Office 

 refer almost exclusively to the technical end 

 of science — taking all in all, not the highest 

 one (a scientist does not generally patent the 

 original combination of instruments that have 

 led him to a discovery). Besides they refer 

 only to the most recent times. 



It is noteworthy in this connection, that I 

 have also received two other interesting com- 

 munications insisting on the importance of 

 the study of primitive science and suggesting 

 therefore a closer collaboration with ethno- 

 graphic museums. As a matter of fact, the 

 institute should try to consider not simply the 

 beginnings or the latest developments of sci- 

 ence and technology, but the entire develop- 

 ment. After all, in the whole evolution, it is 

 impossible to point out one step forward which 

 is more important than the others; each is in- 

 dispensable and there is no common measure 

 between them. 



If the institute is to be associated with an- 

 other institution, the most usefvJ association 

 would perhaps be one with a great museum, 

 such as the U. S. National Museum, the Amer- 

 ican Museum of Natural History or the Har- 

 vard Museums. The objects of a museum 

 can not be easily moved or duplicated, whereas 

 it is not difficult to move or photograph books 

 or manuscripts. Moreover, the eventual crea- 

 tion of a museum of science such as the Con- 

 servatoire des Arts ei Metiers or the Deutsches 

 Museum, would be easier and less expensive 

 if the institute were already connected with 

 another museum. 



Mr. Aisel G. S. Josephson lays special stress 

 (July 6) on the bibliographical activity of 

 the institute. The historians of science should 

 be grateful to him for the valuable biblio- 

 graphical work which he has undertaken in 



