_ worthless. We sometimes hear it said that science should stop 
_ with facts, and that it has no right to draw conclusions; but this 
x is plainly both impossible and undesirable. A science made up 
_ of facts, no matter how true they might be, would be meaning- 
: less. Simple observations, however numerous, no more consti- 
tute science than a lot of numbers shaken up in a basket would 
Constitute mathematics. It is only as the facts are classified, as 
_ generalizations are made, as inferences are drawn from them, 
and conclusions reached, that observations begin to have any 
_ ‘Significance. It is a meaningless fact that the Silurian rocks 
_ are under the Devonian, but it becomes pregnant with meaning 
7 when we draw the inference that this indicates a relative age of 
the rocks and fossils in them. It is utterly valueless to us to 
‘ know that a thousand stones which we have observed fell to the 
i ground, but it is of the utmost importance when we draw from 
_ the observations the conclusion that all heavy bodies tend to fall 
ee eae ge ee ee ee ne ae eee) In ea ees Ci ime 
; towards the earth, and of even more significance when we con- 
T clude that all bodies tend to fall towards each other. In these 
i Simple cases the conclusions seem almost included in the obser- 
ns, but, nevertheless, they are entirely distinct from them; 
a this serves to illustrate the statement just made, that it is 
ey inferences and conclusions which are of any significance. -> 
then, science uses its observed facts only as data for inferences, 
7 is itself a collection of deductions, is it any more deserving 
y credence than other branches of learning? Plainly enough, 
' oi no longer either of the special reasons for acceptance 
The: we have seen giving superior value to scientific facts. 
“a inferences here are just as truly open to the error of the 
thd eH equation as they are in any other line of knowledge, 
nec € is primarily no reason for thinking them better drawn 
Science than elsewhere. Is there, then, any reason for think- 
mg that scientific conclusions are especially deserving of cre- 
Rigg and have a right to the claim which scientists hold for 
“agg being the most certain conclusions of knowledge ? 
seems usual answer to this question will be in the affirmative 
pats quite certain. Scientific conclusions are everywhere re- 
Ee eae ee Ot ae, ee ee eee a ee Sr OT ee eS ee ro 
S from many of their positions, and have not in turn been 
€ Most serious argument which can be urged against 
Say authoritative. They have driven other branches of © 
iri 
k 
Scientific Fact and Scientific Inference. 998 ~ 
, 
Niet is that it contradicts the conclusions of science, and it, 
