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Science 1(1
good Servant that has become a Bad Vaster
exaggerations of importance of the material, the validity of the scientific method and of specialisation
* Pernicious
FRANCIS THOMPSON. Stigmatised 19th. century Science as bloodless, pertinacicus. cold; a thing of sightless prophecies.
Divorce Between Science and Philosophy Former Must Recapture the Total View of Things A paper read by Rev. John W. Doyle, S.J., Science Master at St. Louis Boys' School, to the Newman Society on Tuesday, July 14, in the men's common room at the University. It is my purpose this evening to consider the influence of science in the modern world. This purpose is ambitious; so that we can only sketch our argument and conclusions. But brief as it is, the thing is worth doing; for "science" is one the gods enshrined at the side of "progress" in the modern Pantheon-enshrined and still high in popular esteem, but no longer worshipped by the scientists themselves, who now see again how much science depends upon other branches of knowledge: how it is but a part of the great synthesis to be completed only when we reach heaven and see God face to face, and all things in Him. It is interesting, then-I hope it will be also profitable-to consider the influence of science on our culture (the historical fact, I mean; as that it has done this or that other thing for us), and to see the direction that scientific thought seems to be taking, Now in all this matter there is often great confusion; for the word "science" is used in several senses, all
"Natural sciences," for example, have to do with material things. And it is of the natural sciences that people nowadays speak when they speak of the progress of science, and contrast our enlightenment with the darkness or what they choose to call darkness) of Athens in the days of Plato: or with the little knowledge (to our way of thinking) that the savage races have. It is in this narrower and commonly accepted sense that I speak this evening of Science and the Modern World. Again, one may mean not so much the knowledge as the fruit of that knowledge: its industrial applications, for example. This is usually the extent of the man -in -the -street's knowledge. He speaks of "science," but knows it only in this its most palpable effect, its most obvious and most superficial contribution to our culture. This contribution is, in itself, patent. ly good. It is good to have easier ways of doing things and better ways of doing things. Science gives us power: power is good; but it is danger-
ous-how dangerous present day abuse of power shows us.
Might, however
won-mere power-is not by that fact
related, but of different connotation. One may speak of "science" and mean all that fund of ordered knowledge which has been amassed by the patient investigation of the theologian, philosopher, historian, sociologist, physicist, chemist, biologist and the rest: the sum of human knowledge. Again, "science" may mean the ordered knowledge of a particular kind of thing: the
right. Science may discover more efficient ways of doing things: but it can not tell us which things are right to do-this is the portion of ethics. The chemist, for example, may offer us a P. icon capable of wiping out whole peoples: but we have the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." All creatures are our servants-even the most startling modern inventions. Science, therefore, in this sense of the use of acquired (Continued on Page 4.)
SCIENCE-FRIEND OR ENEMY?
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