Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-08-12
Agricultural,
What we Mean by Science.

The following. which We copy from the
Initial number Of .ippiefoR's Journal. We
commend to the careful reading "t those
who do not regard il as a virtue 10 slicer
al S'.nce " the "ologies
In its prevailing rise the term science
.u.g, sts a special Kind oi knowied.t
which is different from comfson knowledge
and pertains to a partis ular class of obi
scts " hich are looked upon foreign 10
the interests "i common life II i .encg-
slly regarded a. relating TO external .r
physical objects. and calls mp idea. %
minerals insects. or drug-.h1ps. or elect
rical exhibitions. with n copious literature
Of furblddlng terms. or the discovery Of
new mineral or a.icroid. novel chemical
process a hitherto undescribed zoophyte
or the latest inveItive exploit In the Way
Of churns.
The time has come when this noble term
should be redeemed from these degrading
associations. ami made 10 stand for the
larger and higher things which II now
truly represents Science Is not the pc
culisr property Of few curious persons,
who spend their DAYS in watching bugs, or
their nights Ia watching the starr.
The liiera meaning of tie term science
j. 10 k.otc. But II has been found that
know subject loosely and vaguely. or
with clearness and precision. 20 impor-
tant has this distinction now become. that
il j. necessary to marx il ia language, and
30 the word science has come to be applied
TO one of those kinds OF knowledge, il
mean, TO know dcr1fr1'eiy. Ia the course
Of tim and experience Know le''ge slowly
passes from tho Indefinite Ia The definite.
from the vaguc To the Precise. This change
T. of the nature II a growth. and hence.
in ns qs1lIy. science NAV be defined
the higher or more periecs stage of scyel-
oping knowledge.
such teing the essential character Of
science. the question next arises. ho-
much does the term comprehendt Our
Ano = ledge of nature L. all 81 this growing
or progressing Kind. la every aspect OF
the natural world the explanation. w.re
al fii,t crude aud imperfect, and have
gradually ripened into greater distincturs-
snd precision. We are thss brought to The
full breadth Of meaning of the term 81
ence. which /. nothing les thar the latest
and irueSt Interpretation oi The ordc- of
the world at which the human mind has
arrived. IL is the perfected mode Of think
ing in its application 10 sll the phenomena
Of Nature which can become the thought.
A.. h. material world Is but a part .f
.
but part OF science. Our knowledge OF
mind and character. of the srrings and
and limits OF human action. OF the rela-
;jons OF n.u and the conditions of social
welfare. may b- either loose and confused.
or defisue and accurate. This Kind of
knowledge conforms equally 10 the condi-
lions OF growth and. therefore. has IL.
true scientific aspects
By studying the internal or atomic
change. OF matter. the science OF chemi--
inv has b-en arrived al. Inquiries concern
ing the air have led 10 meleorolo2y. and
Investigations into the e rh's crust have
.iyen rise 10 geology. But the Intellectual
movement tius ex~mplifi-d l. far from
stopping wiki all exploration of material
uhenum-nz Sucress here bot shArpens
The tiind Tor the further research OF truth
These departments OF physical study have
their highest vs.ue - preparation Tor
something beyond. They but the
irait.ing-yround Of the isl-lleci for larger
spheres "f iuqhiry. The de. elopment of
the physical sciences has produced grand
and b q efficient results. - all men know.
Imperfect knoa ledge Is misleading: The
more accurate II l. The better it serves for
guida ce. But this j. no more true IA
navigation or mining. than IL l. ia CONNER
cial business or ia teaching. The subjects
however. are ia some Gaze. simpler than
in others, and the simpler mast obviously
serve ~ steppins--toue, TO the more com
pick. II is not that knowledge Is 10 be
carried over from one field 10 anoih- bur
the m-utal training acquired In one field j.
to be employed n another. Granted that
eminent skill la mathematics viii not be
suitable preparation for judge. or ex-
pertness in chemistry qualify the inielli-
gent III nagement of prison; granted
that the knowledge conferred by scientii-
ic studies. A. al presen. arranged. is not
that demanded in dealing " ith the pracii-
cal questions of every day lite, the fact.
nev-rless. re mains, that The cultivation OF
scientific. that Il, accurate habits OF
thought, is the best preparation for action
in ali circumstances Of responsibility.