Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-06-29
Editors Letter Box
Science vs.. Contraption

0SdA
A brief item on the editorial page
OF your current issue gives me Just
the sort Of opening l have been look
ing for.
The item in question refers to the
failure of a "contraption' for locat-
ing gold, and emphasizes the value OF
hard work plus brains" in such con-
Injections. Precisely: for "contrap-
ton" understand any shortcut,
easy" way of getting at thing: any
machine, method or system that ap-
parently eliminates the necessity
for long, tedious investigation. What
an appeal it makes, No matter who
proposes it; no matter whether you
know him or not; no mat
ter whether or not his de-
vice has ever proved its value
in any single instance. The promot-
er has only to ay,-"Gentlemen,
have here device by the use OF
which it is possible to extract end
less quantities of gold from sea-wat-
er,"-and the people come tumbling
over each other to pour their money
into his capacious pockets.
Long ago, Paul said to the Athen-
ians,-"Men of Athens, I perceive
that in all things ye are too supersti-
tious." These words are of age-long
and world wide application; for, to-
day and here. we are still too ready
to believe without taking the trouble
to find out,-too credulous, -"too su-
perstitious."
What am I driving at? Just this:
|
Cd for finding out anything in this
world: only one path by which the
hidden has been brought to light
What is this method, this path?
Careful, painstaking, systematic in
,. vestigation Hard work plus
brains" Whose hard work,-whose
brainso If not yours, then some
one else's.
For the sake Of illustration, let's
take a concrete example. 4 short
time ago / had occasion to interview
some men who were engaged in de
vcloping" a proposition for obtaining
certain material in a not far
tant locality. Having expressed an
opinion. l was told that what l had
to say was based entirely on theory,
anu lIIdL lIltN were, VII INC CoIl III ,
going strictly on facts. Him" said
|. do YOU know anything about the
conditions under which this material
occurs in other places" NO" do
YOU know anything in detail about
: rock types and structures in this par
{ ticular locality?" NO" Have YOU
/ submitted an account of what is
e known about the conditions here to
, any concern which is working on this
: material elsewhere, and asked for an
opinion ," NO" Have YOU made
: any attempt to become familiar with
| the conditions through study Of re-
| ports of Investigations ?" NO"
, "And people are willing to let YOU
; use their money on this basis ?"
: "Oh, certainly: we have had no
trouble getting plenty Of money to
work with And YOU say that
. yo' ideas are based strictly on fact,
and mine on mere theory. HIM"
This isn't an imaginary case:
: neither is it an isolated one. What
: is the matter? Simply the substitu-
ton of shortcut method, a con
: traption' (fguratively speaking). for
hard work plus brains, either
= your own or someone clse's.
t well" someone asks, isn't my
= opinion Just as good as yours ?"
t Other things being equal. if you have
, put in the same amount of hard, pa
tent effort to build up a basis for
= your opinion,-ycs, certainly: if YOU
haven't. emphatically no.
As rule, a man devotes hard. pa
/ ny,+
2 cndeavor: in that line, his opinions
! are worthy Of respect; outside Of it.
! they are usually Of doubtful value.
and II he is wise. he will rely upon
l someone clse's "hard work plus
brains" rather than upon his own.
: In some directions. we follow this
plan without question: when we set
INTO legal deep water we call upon a
, lawyer; when we are sick, we call Il
, doctor; when We need spiritual adj
VICE, we seek a clergyman WHY ,
: Simply because VIC feel confident that
t the lawyer, the doctor and the Clcr-
: SNman know more than we do Of le
: sal pathological and spiritual mat
tcrs. But in many other matters. We
: arc prone to consider our opinions
, 'N'"I'l'' lIoN'NtE lll-IOulLCt they
may he.
+ Particularly in relation TO the
: things over which scientific workers
| puttcr and fuss, tho general public
[ IS apt to assume an attitude of rath-
! icr pltNlnE condcsCcnsion. "Thc sci
entlilc man is a crank: Ne Is filled M
, with notions and theories; hut hc is-
! MI practical: he doesn't know tho
: facts. He thinks he is wiser than
We arc. because he can Spout n few
Scl'htItC terms: VIC know better: We
, arc practical" Nonsense, No sci
onttc worker who is worth his salt
prctcnds to intellectual supCrloritv
over his neiChhors. he simply knows
that he has put hard work plus
brains into his particular line. ana
ne has right to demand rrspcCtful
attention for his opinions in this line
nc has no mysterious methods: tho
chances arc he has no "pot thcorics":
ms scientific language" is merely a
! convenience in communicating his
IDEAS to others of his guild In nine
cases ont OF ten he Is patient.
nainSiAking EathCrcr oC facts. and
II" is justified in feeling hurt when
people reject his hard won nrtnion4
10 accept "Contraptions" in their
place.
; What IL thc moral - ,n ,,.-,