, 1874-02-18
THE "AsSUMpTION8n OF sgrENcE

brook.
THE ASSUMPTIONS" OF SCIENCE,
III recent number Of the metropolitan
paper Of tho Protestant Episcopal Church In the
United States" is an article on "sciontifo As.
symptoms" in which tho writer takos to taRlE
Prof. Proctor, tho English astronomer now Ice.
turing In this country, for some ''assumptions II
regarding tue antiquity Of man. Ho further
moro lays about him generally with respect to
the zciontitic theories Of Geology, Development,
Evolution, etc., now prevalent; and the frequent
uao Of tic words "crodulity," "guoss- work, ~
"fanciful speculation" and tho inHinuation that
scientific theories are based upon ''hearsay," on
"the work OF ignorant workmcn," or ssthat Of q
California miner fond Of practical jokes" and
also that none Of the facts "depond upon such
testimony aa would convict common thief of
petit larceny" will DO sufficient to Indicate tho
aninuB OF tho article in question.
elnco mon emerged from state Of barbarian,
thinkors hnve had an uncomfortable way Of
assuming" certain theories for tho oxplana-
tion Of certain phenomena. By those who had q
cut-and-dried explanation Of tho appearances of
Nature, these assumptions" wore as a con-
tinual thorn in the side aud with all tho weapons
Of priest1y interference, ridiculo, and power,
they havo sought to prevent their spread and
acceptance among mon. When Copornicus
offered his assumption Of tho heliocentrio
theory of the earth's motion, in opposition to
the goocentrio resumption" adopted by tho
Church, he was greeted with this: "To main
tain TINT tho sun Is placed immoyablo in tho
contre Of the world, is an opinion absurd in
itsolf, falRo in philosophy, and formally horoti-
cal because 1t is expressly contrary to the
Scripture; to maintain that tho oarth is not
placed in the centre Of tho world, that 1t is not
immoyab1e, and that It has even daily motion
of rotation, is also m absurd proposition, faleo
in philosophy, and at least erroneous in point Of
faith" and tho gront Bacon. 80 confidently
quoted by tho writer, who laid ont "renlly
scientific method Of deduction" rejected 1t, aud
said, II am convinced that It is most fa1ao."
It is hardly necessary to defond ouch men as
Sir Charles Lyell, Prof. Tyndal, and Prof. Proc
examination, or hasty and unqualified acceptance
OF each and every 'faot brought to their no
tico. It ia not necessary to refer to the actual
position OF Sir Charles Lyoll upon tho points ro-
ferred to in the article to state that hia posi-
tion upon tho "Natchoz man" is ono Of extremo
caution, in placs Of the unqualified "assump-
tion inferred. No olasa OF mon arc more critical
OF facts than scientific men. Opon iuauiry,
aays Huxley Ia their bosom friend, aud q sup-
position not capable Of rigid proof is at onco
dismissed. But they claim the right Of exami-
nation, and, ponding tho decision, ali theories
have standing at their bar OF reason. At this
bar tho theory OF Evolution ia now undergoing
ita examination, and We may safely await tho
Judgment to bo passed upon It, not by bigotcd
but by men qualified to pronounce
upon itB truth or falsity.
"Prot. Proctor" saya our writer, "las for
himaolf, We venture to say, never verified ein-
gle one Of the facts On which he fo1nds his tl,e-
ory. He does not eyen sknow' tho facts, Ho
takoa them on faith from the reports Of others."
Tie theory Of Oopernioua waa once an sassump-
tion" Of scionce, aa Evolution, Development
Tho Antiquity Of Nan, arc now. It Ia now uni
ycraal1y accepted, while tho others arc In PRO-
ceBB Of proof. las our writor eyor "yoriAed"
tho facts OF geometry, physics, md mathematics,
which furnish tho proofs which have rendered
luis "asRumption" fixed aud accepted fact 2
Has ile eyor "veriflod" single ono Of thom ?
Dooa 10 oyen "kno,u" the faota7 uoes lie not
tako thom on faith from tho report OF otlora 7
[n tho faco OF negative answer to these q,los-
lions, dare he acknowledge his belief in tho tho
7ry7 II ho accept 1t, how reconcile hs opposi- |
ion to tho modern theories. We acespt tho fact,
II Chemistry, that water is compound cub
,tanco formed by tho union Of two invisible
,asca. How many Of ua "know" tho fact ly !!
Gorldcstlon7 and yet, In receiving 1t On faith
from tue report OF others. sro we not s'thor-
,ughly uusolentiflo, unctltcal,' and orcdnlous ~
Tho primo factqf at tho bottom Of all spioptiao
tho only thing which brings order out
II chaos, rAoh sayos Us from the wildcst con-
'usion Of oLanco and uncertainty, is tho "as-
,umption iii 90 va ohoone to torn inf ar