IV 



MODERN PHYSICAL SCIENCE: ITS RELA- 

 TION TO RELIGION 



By Heber D. Curtis 



IN any symposium or forum such as this, it is no 

 easy matter to follow exactly and precisely a 

 title as printed. Considerable thought has been 

 given to various possibilities in the way of changes or 

 alterations in this title, in the hope that it might thus 

 be brought to indicate with greater precision the trend 

 of the treatment to be followed. Some aspects of our 

 '.nalysis, as will be developed later, might well moti- 

 vate a change to a title reading, — "The Analogies 

 Between Religious and Modern Physical Beliefs." 

 But, as every librarian knows, any complete precision 

 in a title will require so long a statement, such quali- 

 fications by way of definitions, exceptions noted, and 

 explanations given, that a perfect title must finally 

 become identical with the work itself. 



Science is to-day taking stock of the beliefs it has 

 permitted Itself to make; in a closer alliance with that 

 field formerly pre-empted by philosophy it has sub- 

 jected its basal principles to close analysis. Some- 

 what to his surprise, the modern scientist finds that 

 he has gradually and without prevision reached a 

 point where he is permitting himself, even demand- 

 ing, beliefs and theories which involve the transcen- 

 dental and the infinite. It is with something of a shock 



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