The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1916-06-01

tired of attacking science
IMM and the scientific way of
~ looking at things, and
- the existence of the great
war in Europe has given them a
greater boldness and prominence
than ever before. And, also, it
must be admitted it has given them
a greater apparent justification.
Science, they assert. has piled up
knowledge without in any way af-
fecting the baser elements of hu-
man nature. The fruits of science
are all about us in the forms of
electric street cars, railways, tele-
phones, submarine cables and a
thousand other conveniences; yet a
cursory examination of any news
paper will convince us that the old
vices of mankind flourish as strong
ly as ever, and to crown it all, we
are living in time when the great
est slaughter in the history of the
world is taking place. 1t would
appear that the only change science
has wrought is change in the ma
terial conditions of mankind. 1t
must be confessed that there is
much to be said for this point of
view, and yet, can it be true that
the pure, disinterested search after
knowledge which has inspired men
to live laborious days and to die, in
some cases, shameful deaths, is to
have no other result than to add to
our bodily comforts or to increase
the murderous power Of our engines
of destruction? One cannot rest
content with this conclusion, and
indeed, there is no reason to do SO.
Science has spiritual side, but in
order to see it, it is necessary to
make distinction between science
and its applications.
The true aim of science, ex-
pressed in a word, is to increase the
self-consciousness of man. We have
emerged from lowly forms of life
where self consciousness is almost,
if not quite, non-existent. Each ad-
vance has been in the direction of
the acquisition of greater degree
of elf-consciousness. Long ages
ago man commenced to distinguish
himself from the trees and stones
about him. He began to form a
picture of his universe and of him.
self as related to that universe. His
consciousness grew: he distinguished
between one tribe and another, be-
tween one family and another, be-
tween one individual and another.
When Copernicus propounded his
theory that the earth revolves about
the sun, he altered, at one blow,
mans conception of the relation be-
tween himself and the universe.
Man saw himself more clearly: he
was no longer the miraculously
unique creature he had supposed
himself to be. Darwin, with his
origin of species, effected another
great change in mans estimate of
himself. Again mans self-con-
sciousness, his conception of his re-
lations to everything outside him
self, acquired an extension and in
tensifcation. The main function of
philosophy has been of the same kind
and it is interesting to note that it
is now thought that the true signif-
canoe of art is to be found in the
same direction.
With this extension of self-con-
sciousness comes a full appreciation
of the essential nature of man and
of his possibilities. By discovering
mans true relation to the universe,
we see also how he may best live in
peace and harmony with that uni
verse. Every scientific discovery,
every discovery from whatever
source will show us more clearly
what this world is in which we live,
reacts upon man himself and causes