Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-04

thread upon which he suspends this and
connexion Of the sciences is found in consideration of
the comparative simplicity generality Of the phenomena
which they respectively embrace 1t apparent that the
simplest phenomenahat is those which the least
complicated with ohers-must by necessity be the most
general in their nature and the least difficult to be sys
temased and that in proportion phenomena become
more complex, they at the time become special
and more difficult of investigation. The category, there
FORE which contains phenomena the most general the
most simple the most constant viii be the first to exhibit
the completion Of perfect science and the science which
treats phenomena the most special the complex
and the variable win be the last f every reach
condition of scientific certitude Now according to
this law of arrangement the fundamental sciences fall
into the following order: Astronomy physics chemistry,
physiology, Tor bology) and lastly, sociology, the
science of politics and society 1t win be observed that
this classification is based the comparative generality
or speciality Of the phenomena embraced by these sci
viii be further observed that the phenomena
consdered BY the first named science IN this scale exert
modifying and controlling function over the phenomena
embraced by each science that follows III while the phe
considered by the last named science exercise
influence those which comprised by the sciences
that precede it in the order of simplicity and which ante
date in the order of historical evolution That is the
phenomena OF these sciences in the ascending series
functions of the phenomena considered in the descending
series Of these sciences, that each antecedent
science may be considered the preparatory step by
which we advance to each succeeding one.
Of course it proposition which lies at the very root
of Comtes SYSTEM that the sciences should be learned in
their natural order and this Comte recommends
only because in this way the student will attain the
widest and highest scientific education, but will alsoearn
The true method Of scientific study and research In this last
consists indeed that which NJ Comte considers the most
and al of n
their encyclopaedia order for the student passes
from science to another he discovers that each sci
ence demands for its investigation modification Of his
method He will fnd in other words, that he is incom
petent to discern the proper method which he is to
study social phenomena unless he has mastered the ne
thod which the anterior sciences have been developed
Now herein consists the boast Of NJ Comte. He claims
have gone through the encyclopaedia study of the
sciences and thus have discovered in what way the
Method of nductve philosophy is to be applied to the
formation of social and political science out of the
pex phenomena presented by humanity. But it is pre-
cisely this point that he fails just when he thinks
himself most wise that he drives. He cries "Earska "
but has found what he processes When he to
frame his science of sociology find that he has utterly
failed to account for the cravings of man spiritual
intelligence and that he ignores the facts and experiences
of the in all past and present history Nor diff
fcut to see why it is that NJ Comte has thus stultfed
himself in the attempt to systematize social phenomena
reduce them the orderly laws which pervade all
true science. If such science be possible, III. Comtc is
4 just the man whom we might foreknow the most un-
likely be its founder We rarely find the most opposite
and contradictory attributes of intellect combined in the
psrsor e man is an n acute analyst j. may
generally rnier the contrary. NJ Come is certainly
exception to the ordinary rule according which Nature
chooses bestow her favors While endowed with an
analytical power the most surprising he seems utterly
destitute of constructive genius He may be considered
the prophet of social science but he is certainly not
its expounder; he may be its Moses, but is certainly
not its Joshua.
But NJ Comte is not the only that has failed in the
application of the positive method the scientific
ordination of social phenomena and historical events
the master himself thinks that social scence atheistc
and humanitarian in its leading ideas, his disciple, NJ
Lttre thinks lis democratic and radical Mr. Wallace,
our countrynan, pronounced 1t christian and con-
servative. Thus twoud that the positive philo
sophy in the hands OF its patrons and defenders has sig
naly broken down in all the efforts which have been made
to apply it to society, and the effort Of NJ Comte has
been the stupendous aisre Of all And what shall
we infer from this! What else can we infer that
the proper method least has been yet discovered
by which social phenomena to be reduced to scien-
sifc and positive SYSTEM If, NJ COME will himself
t the grand aim of science be the discovery Of laws
and through this discovery the attainment Of foresight
ard the power of action what would ask him. are ose
laws of social phenomena which will enable to predic'
wish scientific certainty the political events Of the mex
month in this country in any country Of Europe
Where is the positive philosopher among us who couio
have predicted siz weeks ago the phenomenon OF the
Nebraska bill which is perpexng the nation
The error however of NJ Comte and Of his disciples,
to u.s. resides oaly in their defective methoe
of social sady bu. also in the object st which they aim
They attempt too nuch and aim too high. 1t seems
us idle to suppose that social science ever be made
exact as any other of those named in NJ Comes ency
clopyciical hierarchy Astronomy is more exact ant
more clearly defined than physics physics more SO thar
chemistry chems,try than biology, biology muc
r moro than sociology Wherever we discover fxs
laws We have the materials from which to construct
science and this science will be or less perfect an
more or less valuable in proportion as it explains NOR
or less of the phenomena that belong to its province Tn
great vice Of NJ Comtes reasoning is found just here
he does not sufficiently allow for difference in kind tbs
obtains among the sciences. Thus astronomy is SC
ence and chemistry is science and physiology is SC
ence but what vast difference there is in kind as we
as in degree Of scientific accuracy among them Not on
do we pursue different methods in the study of the de
emit sciences but we are compelled to rest satisfied vii
different degrees of certainty ameng them The scienc
1t that comprise phenomena which the farther remoy
from humanity arc precisely those which the mo
exact In proportion as they relate to humanity they
l. come more complex and hence less positive. 1t is u
4 y