January 28, 1910] 



SCIENCE 



127 



proposed to settle the question of reaching 

 the pole by aldermanic resolutions and 

 straw votes in railway trains or even news- 

 paper editorials. 



If in the foregoing remarks I have 

 touched superficially upon some aspects of 

 science teaching rather than sounded its 

 depths, I can not plead as my excuse failure 

 to realize the importance of the topic. One 

 of the only two articles that remain in my 

 creed of life is that the future of our civil- 

 ization depends upon the widening spread 

 and deepening hold of the scientific habit 

 of mind ; and that the problem of problems 

 in our education is therefore to discover 

 how to mature and make effective this 

 scientific habit. Mankind so far has been 

 ruled by things and by words, not by 

 thought, for till the last few moments of 

 history, humanity has not been in posses- 

 sion of the conditions of secure and effect- 

 ive thinking. Without ignoring in the 

 least the consolation that has come to men 

 from their literary education, I would even 

 go so far as to say that only the gradual 

 replacing of a literary by a scientific educa- 

 tion can assure to man the progressive 

 amelioration of his lot. Unless we master 

 things, we shall continue to be mastered by 

 them; the magic that words east upon 

 things may indeed disguise our subjection 

 or render us less dissatisfied with it, but 

 after all science, not words, casts the only 

 compelling spell upon things. 



Scientific method is not just a method 

 which it has been found profitable to pur- 

 sue in this or that abstruse subject for 

 purely technical reasons. It represents the 

 only method of thinking that has proved 

 fruitful in any subject— that is what we 

 mean when we call it scientific. It is not 

 a peculiar development of thinking for 

 highly specialized ends; it is thinking so 

 far as thought has become conscious of its 



proper ends and of the equipment indis- 

 pensable for success in their pursuit. 



The modern warship seems symbolic of 

 the present position of science in life and 

 education. The warship could not exist 

 were it not for science : mathematics, me- 

 chanics, chemistry, electricity supply the 

 technique of its construction and manage- 

 ment. But the aims, the ideals in whose 

 service this marvelous technique is dis- 

 played are survivals of a pre-scientifie age, 

 that is, of barbarism. Science has as yet 

 had next to nothing to do with forming the 

 social and moral ideals for the sake of 

 which she is used. Even where science has 

 received its most attentive recognition, it 

 has remained a servant of ends imposed 

 from alien traditions. If ever we are to be 

 governed by intelligence, not by things and 

 by words, science must have something to 

 say about what we do, and not merely about 

 how we may do it most easily and eco- 

 nomically. And if this consummation is 

 achieved, the transformation must occur 

 through education, by bringing home to 

 men's habitual inclination and attitude the 

 significance of genuine knowledge and the 

 full import of the conditions requisite for 

 its attainment. Actively to participate in 

 the making of knowledge is the highest 

 prerogative of man and the only warrant 

 of his freedom. When our schools truly 

 become laboratories of knowledge-making, 

 not mills fitted out with information-hop- 

 pers, there will no longer be need to discuss 

 the place of science in education. 



John Dewey 

 Columbia Ukiversitt 



THE FUTURE OF TEE MEDICAL 

 PROFESSION 1 

 Mr. President and Colleagues: We are 

 here to rejoice over the union of the Ohio 

 and the Miami Medical Colleges, which 

 ' An address on University Day, December 1, 

 1909, at the University of Cincinnati. 



