Psychology as a Science. 
33 
SOME SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING METHODS OF 
PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY. 
By J. J. BLAISDELL, Beloit, Wis. 
I feel myself already rebuked ia bringing before you the matter which 
1 am about to read. Not indeed because it is, in my view, for substance 
without importance; but for the reason that ia the way‘of its putting, it 
is crude and in a measure meager and inadequate. It will have this ele¬ 
ment of advantage, that it is beaten into deep personal convictions by 
not a feu; years of teaching the branch in question, and put to the test 
of its truthfulness by having contributed to helping a number of fair 
minds into an apparently well-grounded habit of good living. What 
proves to be well adjusted to normal living—the best test of the signifi¬ 
cance of theories—cannot be altogether spoiled by the manner or 
method of its presentation. What suggestions I have to make upon the 
methods of teaching Psychology I should like to bring before you in the 
way of several questions. 
1. Should it not be more thoroughly insisted on that psychology is a 
science—a science of observation—an inductive science? Avery com¬ 
mon use of the word science makes it designate only a concept of the 
several d partments of what may be loosely described as physical, nat¬ 
ural, material processes. It often means any such concept as may be 
gathered up piecemeal of a conglomerate of unrelated facts in a given 
field, without insisting on the logical coordination of these facts, and 
their subordination to some generic principle. Even in many cases 
wherein the claim of psychology to a scientific dignity is allowed, it is 
done with a timidity which seems to arise from a suspicion that as a sci¬ 
ence it jacks the clearness, distinctness and adequacy, which constitute 
the perfection of scientific character. If indeed there be just question 
whether psychology is thus usurper of a place in the category of the sci¬ 
ences, it is fair certainly to give it thorough challenge. If, on the con¬ 
trary, it presents a defined field.of fact with its exact extension and in¬ 
tension, and is entirely capable of differentiating and relating its con¬ 
tents, it is time that scholarship should clear its habit from undue bias 
derived from study by the five senses and, with explicit commitment, 
admit it into the order of the sciences,—this one, without which, if its 
scientific character be made good, all others would wield a barren scep- 
4—A. & L. 
