288 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
ANTHROPOLOGY. 
SCOPE AND VALUE OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDIES. 
PROF. OTIS T. MASON. 
Abstract : Read before Section H^ Wednesday, August i6th. 
Professor Mason began by saying that everything which presented itself 
before human consciousness is subjected to a process of weighing and measuring. 
Before giving up their Hves to any study men wish to know what good, or honor, 
or happiness would result. The speaker then defined anthropology to be the 
application of the instrumentalities and methods of natural history to the induc- 
tive study of man, not merely taking a superficial view, collecting old things 
because they are old, nor running after curiosities, but the patient investigation 
of mankind, just as if our race were a group of unintelligent animals. The horse 
was adduced as an example of what patient study would accomplish when con- 
centrated upon a single group. A series of topics was drawn up, the considera- 
tion of which would constitute a science of hippology. Returning to the human 
race it was assumed that humanity had an origin and therefore a whole series of 
problems would arise concerning that fact; many of these questions were stated 
by the speaker. The past has a record between the beginning and the first 
recorded history, written in graves and remains of art, another great congeries of 
questions grew out of this fact, and the professor stated the principal among 
them. The human animal has alife-history, a biology; it has a mind-history, a 
physchology; a history of expression, a glossology ; a history of segregations, an 
ethnology ; a progress in artistic refinement and ability, a technology ; a social 
evolution, or sociology ; an eventful life in the presence of the unseen world, a 
mythology ; a balancing of harmonies with the outer world, or hexiology. Con- 
sidering each of these topics briefly. Prof. Mason stated what were the latest and 
most imporant queries under each head concerning which the anthropologists are 
vexing their minds. 
After this epitome of the topics included in anthropology it was next shown 
what are the advantages to be gained by so much nicety of observation ; by such 
multifarious and extended records, and by so much philosophizing. The first 
advantage is that all studies are improved by study. Men will study man. It is 
a most fascinating subject, has been pursued always, and ever will be to the end 
of time. The mission of the anthropologist, therefore, is not so much to encourage 
the study of man, but to regulate it so that some permanent good, some benefi- 
f ent truths, will be the result. All sciences began with vain speculations — 
astronomy with astrology, chemistry with alchemy, theology with mythology. 
