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THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS

OF

NATIONAL PROGRESS,

INCLUDING THAT OF MORALITY.



G. GORE, L.L.D., F.R.S.,

_Author of "The Art of Scientific Discovery;"
"The Principles and Practice of Electro-deposition;"
"The Art of Electro-metallurgy;" &c._

[Illustration]

NATIONS ADVANCE BY NEW KNOWLEDGE.



WILLIAMS AND NORGATE,

14, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON;
AND 20, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET, EDINBURGH.
1882.

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To the President (the Rev. N. Watson, F.R.S.), the Vice Presidents, the
Council and Members of the Birmingham Philosophical Society, I dedicate the
following small treatise, in appreciation of the fact, that although only a
young Society, they have certified in a substantial manner the views
persistently advocated by me respecting the National importance of
Scientific Investigation, and have shown so intelligent an example of
devotion to public welfare by establishing a Fund for the Endowment of
original Scientific Research.

  GEORGE GORE.

  _The Institute of Scientific Research,_
  _Birmingham._

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THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF NATIONAL PROGRESS.

------

CONTENTS.

------

  PREFACE.

  CHAPTER I.                                                PAGE

  THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF MATERIAL PROGRESS                    1

  CHAPTER II.

  THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF MENTAL AND MORAL PROGRESS           83

  CHAPTER III.

  NEW TRUTH, AND ITS GENERAL RELATION TO HUMAN PROGRESS      157

  CHAPTER IV.

  THE PROMOTION OF ORIGINAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH              170

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THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF NATIONAL PROGRESS.

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NEW KNOWLEDGE IMPARTS NEW POWER.

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PREFACE.

As there exists at the present time in this country a considerable degree
of uneasiness in the public mind respecting our ability to maintain our
position in the race of progress, and as our future success as a nation
depends largely upon science, it is desirable to call attention to the
great public importance of _new_ scientific knowledge, and to the means of
promoting its development.

Although the illustrations given in this book of the importance of such
knowledge to mankind, constitute but a small fraction of the number which
might be adduced, they are sufficient to show that by the neglect of
scientific investigation, we are sacrificing our welfare as a nation to an
enormous extent.

The greatest obstacle to the discovery of new knowledge in this country,
lies in a wide spread ignorance of the dependence of human welfare upon
scientific research. I propose therefore to show in a brief manner, that
the essential starting-point of human progress, lies in scientific
discovery; also that new truths are evolved by original research made in
accordance with scientific methods; and to illustrate these statements by
examples; also to point out how such research can be encouraged.

The book is divided into four chapters, viz.: _1st._ The Scientific basis
of Material progress: _2nd._ The Scientific basis of Mental and Moral
progress: _3rd._ New truth and its relation to Human progress: and _4th._
The Promotion of original Scientific Research. As the object of the book is
only to call attention to the vast importance of _new_ truth, as as a
fundamental source of advance, and how to promote the discovery of it, the
essay is written as briefly as possible, and is not offered in any sense as
a complete exposition of the subject, especially the section relating to
the Scientific basis of Morality.

The leading idea of the Book is that present knowledge only enables us to
maintain our present state, that national _progress_ is the result of _new_
ideas, and that the chief source of new ideas is original research.[1] That
as _advance_ has its origin in _new_ knowledge; unless new discoveries are
made, new inventions and improvements must sooner or later cease. Another
prominent idea is, that truth is essentially the same in all divisions of
knowledge, and that the mental powers and processes employed in detecting
it are the same in all subjects.

For reasons stated in the text, the influence of scientific discovery upon
mental and moral progress are treated together. Notwithstanding the far
greater importance of the mental and moral advantages of new truths, the
book treats chiefly of the pecuniary and material gains to mankind; mainly
because the latter are more easily understood and appreciated, the chapter
however on "The Scientific Basis of Mental and Moral progress," indicates
in a very brief and imperfect manner, the vast importance of new scientific
knowledge to mankind, as a source of mental and moral advancement.

The chief object of this book is to disseminate more correct ideas
respecting the importance of _new_ positive