28 
IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. 
to recognize the applications of science in whole or in part. 2. 
The tendency to certainty — dogmatism, infallibility. This reaches 
its culmination in the balancing of a scientific chip on the 
shoulder. 3. The tendency to mistake acquisition for the poiver to do 
something. This is profoundly characteristic of science leaching 
in our educational system. 4. The tendency to immature research 
— dilettantism. To which I would add: 5. The tendency to 
Phariseeism; the scorning of all not scientists; a holier-than- 
thou attitude that puts the possessor out of touch with human 
struggle; the despising of all efforts that are not of a certain 
superfine order; lack of charity for fellow scientists; criticism of 
every man’s honest endeavor. 6. The tendency to minimize 
theoretical considerations; the cry for the practical. 
It is obvious that these tendencies cannot fail to create a 
feeling in popular thought of distrust, contempt, and disregard 
of science and scientific methods. The effect on the scientist 
is stultifying, narrowiog, dogmatizing. The worst result will be 
that progress in solving humanity’s problems will be retarded. 
Everj^ tendency to restrict the application of scientific methods 
is detrimental to progress. 
I believe that science and the methods of science must take 
in the future a. greater share in shaping the destiny of the race 
than they have in the past, not so conspicuous perhaps, but 
none the less real. I believe most profoundly in an earthly 
order founded on a scientific basis. I see no other hope for 
society. I am not visionary. Hence I can make no forecast of 
a rainbow- tinted land of promise, wherein the plutocratic lion 
deals with the democratic lamb on a strictly scientific basis. 
Scientific method is not a universal panacea. But the problems 
that perplex humanity will be settled justly only as they are 
approached from a rational standpoint, 
I am not pessimistic as to the future of science. But the 
best results will not be achieved unless some of our methods 
are radically changed. Materialism and philosophic nihilism 
are no bugbears to me. Though science and scientific methods 
cannot make a perfect humanity, any^ attempt to solve the 
problem by^ ignoring science is basest folly. I believe the day 
will come when empiricism and its twin brother dogmatism will 
yield the field to the scientific spirit. Speed the day ! 
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