New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-23
SCIENCE AT ST. LOUIS.
WE SECOND DAYS SESSION.
READING OF PAPERS ON CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS

| American Association for the Advancement of
Science are Re stered here. Mr. Edison and Profess
sor Barker of the University of Pennsylvania, have
arrived. Papers on Chemistry and Physics were
read in Section A, by Messrs. Osborne, Thurs
ton and Clarke, to-day, papers on AnthropolOgy
were read in Section b, by Messrs. Morgan, Hender-
son and BandelIer, and papers on Entomology by
Professor Riley. Mr.. Edison will read paper to-
morrow on his Tasimeter, describing it and giving
an account OF its use during the solar
eclipse of July 20. The meeting is notable
already for the general stand taken in the vice.
presidential addresses, and in the feeling OF the
members for making science more popular by lee
lures all of which argues a new departure OF the
Association in this direction. The introduction OF
science IN the public schools IS earnestly advocates.
Professor NewcOmb delivered his retiring address
this evening, and the association enjoyed aIeFWaIu
brilliant reception at the I.ndell Hotel Inc
weather is cooler, and the city is perfectly healy'
POINTS OF PROF. NEWCOMERS ADDRESS.
The keynote of my discourse is found in
proposition which ia fundamental IN the history OF mod
en science and without clear understanding Oh Whloh
everything | say may be entirely misunderstood
This proposition Is that science concerns ltsell
ohly with phenomena and the relations when con-
vert them, and does not take account Of any
questions which do not in some way admit OF
being brought to tho test OF experience The only uni
verse II knows Is that made known by the telescope the
microscope and other appliances OF observation Ihat
this Is the whole universe We should all be very sorry 10
suppose. and more than he who has the honor
10 address you. But should pretend to a scientific
knowledge OF what lies behind the visible Frame
should part of the rash Spectator rather
than that Of a thinker. Only into SINGLE field
OF thought do dare to venture.
When We trace the efforts 20 penetrate the So
orets OF Nature find them clearly dIvlsibe into two
classes phosoph5 speculation and scientific nyestiga-
gtl,, oil. llV
INTO two classes phenomena and their hidden causes,
those INK owabe entities out OF which they proceed.
The great progress which the last three centuries have
witnessed has been wholly in the Geld Of phenomena
and it is to this field and the results Of scientific III
yestgation in it that ask your attention
TWO MODES OF EXPLANATION.
From the earliest times at which man began to
think two modes Of explaining the operations Of Nature
have presented themselves 10 his attention. These
modes are sometimes designated the teleogcal and
the mechanical.
The tclcoIca explanation OF Nature presupposes that
her operations akin to human actions insomuch as
they arc under the control Of and directed by one or
more intelligent beings having certain ends IN Ylew tnat
the events diverted as To compass these ends;
aud. finally, that the relation OF the events 70
the ends admits OF being discovered by observation aud
study TINS last condition - very important one be-
cause without II the teoogcal explanation OF tue
course OF nature would not belong to tue domain OF
science The doctrine that the Author OF Nature mas
certain view. aud directs the whole course OF
events 10 bring them about VIII not enable Us to
wat those ends are But as nave already
said Toe test OF scientific advance Is the
power Of forcsight-of faresceiug what result any
combination OF circumstances Will lead 10. II we al
WAYS had 20 wait for toe result ana could then only
saw know this is the result which was intended, be-
II has happened, 10 Ac 'ual Ioiesght Houia or
pussible and however excellent tho doctrine might be
a. theological one n would not admit Oi beng tested
by Observation, and experiment, aud tho question
OF it, ruth would not therefore admit OF being
remark OIL .S' @ ped lhe lauseT, OF certain
4ft.I lfrutN uUll.r III %
VINO .Hu ,",S ,, it saii he II was nor h,i l1e
yoyaccr had got safely 10 shore that be found himself
under the protection Of the goddess 10 must be well
understood that Toe teleosical theory OF nature,
ar ns IL Is more iamharly called the eGpllna-
zion Of natural phenomena by design. has
two distinct forms tho scientific aud tue theO-
ioglcaI These forms are not antagunisuc ones.
tue ous ' y5 we'll Know nm. sceniifc form n lie
no m which ,ceutlnc almost universally reject the
geological theory, while they have nothing to say
me forms ref only 20 the fields 70 which tho theory
may belong the sCicutuc ana tie theological The dis
tuStion turns on whether suppose toe ends which
So Onty the former ease have We as scirI.-
tine Investigators. anything to do with the question.
Now ~ shall muru iully see hereafter, the number
OF euds supposed to De scrutabe has constantly DUNN
isbed with the prUgcs OF knowledge and the theory Of
design the scientific side las narrowed lis scope In
proportion. The only scruable end which Nature is
now sumo ed n have 90 view the good OF living crca-
tnrls aud especially OF man. and even In this hod
that We have only slight clew to tho result. On Inc
other hand the number OF events which directly or IN
directly interest ., great that the slight cew may
be supposed 10 lead to many knowaoe results.
Tie other explanation OF Nature u the mechanical one.
Il assumes that her processes go on ia accordance Win
certain laws which admit Oi being fully COmpreheuded
by the mind far n their effects are concerned
Each STATE OF things Is the effect Oi the state which
me1ntey prcCedcs n, aud the cause OF that which I'M
medately follows It, The course or Nature Is thus con
sdered As An endless chan OF which the work OF science
cuuslsts ~ making the form Ot the links, and the
yr.ration We nave 70 be- concerned with two things,
the general Laws Of nature they are Familiarity called
operation OF laws. This distinction Is most clearly
seen hum IN laws Thou shat not steal Is law that
Tnhn has stolen Is "a fact The combined result OF the
Jaw and the fact Is that John locked up In jail So,
tbo All bes near tue earth grayitate toward Il with
forc. directly as their and nyersoy the square
OF their distance from It's centre il universal law OF
nature The Niagara River aud tho preopioe are tots-
the cataract is The result
But the general explanation Of the course OF nature,
on the mechanical theory Is not OF this simple knd, be-
cause the laws OF nature do not act singy but Ia
bnation 10 that tho result OF each is modified By she
of gravitatiOn Is no that all bodies must fall but only
that they tend 10 fall and therefore viii fa unless held
up BY some sufficient opposing force. so long Is sup
port this weight IN my hand II does not f because the
force of grnyatOu and the resistance OF my hand
trazo each other But the instant let co. me weight
drops according certain law known that OF uni
formly accelerated velocity.
knowing few simple laws OF nature, or when graYlta-
ton Is one knowing also the arrangement OF material
things within the field ofinyestgation, that is knowing
tho facts we predict with unernR certainty what
result Will be, or II We cannot predict H. II Is not
because OF any quality Of the thing ITSELF out Ouly
because of the insahcency or our powers Moreover
from which IL Is possible u predict results 10 follow
them aud without limit unless some facts from
without intervene change the course. IL We Include
the whole Of nature I'm our field outside facts can
come IN and her therefore admits of being
dlcted with entire certainty from beginning to end.
CHANGES WROUGHT BY MODERN SCIENCE.
tho point which wish to bring TO your attention
ia the revolution which modern science has brought
pass the opinions OF mankind respecting tho relations
of the classes Of causes, supposed causes which
have described That all events could bo explained on
posed. That the falling OF heavy bodies, tho OF
rivers the changes OF the seasons and he revolutions OF
the went accordance with lava,