CONCLUSION. 301 



to Others (rather than as a wonder standing by 

 itself), that anything deserving the name of science 

 becomes possible. When a great number of items 

 are linked together by natural relationship the 

 human mind is able to obtain a general mastery 

 over them, but when you have a mass of data 

 chaotic and unclassified, it is impossible even for 

 the most powerful intellect to acquire anything 

 like a comprehensive knowledge. In the latter 

 state of affairs it is inevitable that attention should 

 be chiefly directed to such things as are boldly 

 advertised by some striking quality — which, after 

 all, may have no bearing upon their intrinsic value 

 — ^just as in a human assembly one first notices 

 persons of unusual dress or aspect who often turn 

 out to be mere nobodies. 



According to the invariable rule, both our sense 

 of ignorance and our curiosity have increased /^r/ 

 passtt with our knowledge. We are no longer 

 content to take common things for granted, but 

 are impelled to keep probing the foundations 

 upon which our predecessors built with a confi- 

 dent assurance that they " knew all about them." 

 A eood illustration of this is seen in the change 

 of attitude of scientific inquirers with regard to 

 the question of the origin of life. Nowadays 



