j Kohlenberg—Factors in Scientific Research . 1301 
This is the difficulty, too, with specially endowed research lab¬ 
oratories which are generally created to foster a certain specific 
line of work. And though the attempt is generally made to 
conduct such work along as broad lines as possible, the specific 
reports of progress required from time to time necessitate that 
the work be after all rather narrow and specific in scope. When¬ 
ever sums of money are granted to carry on scientific researches, 
it is common to have the one who is to do the work outline 
it sharply, or what is to be done is even prescribed for him. 
FTow much real valuable and helpful scientific work can be done 
and has been done in this way; but this work is after all what 
might be termed routine in character. The determination of 
physical constants by new, or at any rate somewhat improved 
methods; the extension of this or that principle in certain direc¬ 
tions ; the testing of the validity or usefulness of certain modes 
of procedure in specific cases; the exploration of some new ter¬ 
ritory, etc., are all types of work that can very successfully be 
done in this way. The, deepening and widening of our knowl¬ 
edge along lines already somewhat familiar by means of meth¬ 
ods that are fairly well in hand and simply require some am¬ 
plification, can successfully be carried on thus. But real crea¬ 
tive scientific work that opens up new avenues is not done in 
this way. A certain amount of leisure, a perfect freedom 
from all restraint as to choice and definiteness of outline of 
the problem in hand, and no thought as to just how the work 
is to be done and when the results must needs be reported, are 
quite essential for real creative scientific work. These condi¬ 
tions cannot be obtained at the present time so far as I am 
aware, outside of the walls of a great university. USTo man of 
positive creative genius in scientific lines can afford to hamper 
his work and force it into avenues that are definitely to be laid 
out beforehand, in order to secure financial aid to carry out 
what he really wants to accomplish. Work that can be laid out 
in advance and passed upon by a commission as to its value 
and feasibility is necessarily only routine in character, valua- 
able though it be. For this reason it is very likely that the 
greatest fundamental scientific discoveries of the future will 
be made at universities where the proper atmosphere for bring- 
