SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17805, 2 September 1929, Page 9

SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS

EXCEEDING INTELLECTUAL GAINS. I i NEED FOR ADVANCE IN THOUGHT. 1 Scientific progress Is far exceeding 1 present intellectual gains and unless advances in thought shall equal those in science, modern inventions will be useless, Dr. Otis \V. Caldwell, director of the Institute of School Experimentation, Columbia University, dedared in a public address at the ' Museum Building of the New York Botanical Garden. After citing recent developments in aviation, ballistics and medicine, he said that unless mankind benefits mentially from this progress better results of more essential value could have been obtained in non-scicntiflo fields. “ Scientists need to present the facts so that tho public can understand and emotionally believe them,” Dr. Caldwell said. “ Only 4700 people are licensed to fly In this country, showing that Just a few actually make use of aviation. The public knows about science, but does not actually use It. “ Emotionalised science has had many victories in the field of medi- i cine. Vaccination has quickly won its j way into the fold of'modern civilisa- i Hon by putting the facts plainly before the people. In biology, astronomy, physics and chemistry each succeeding century has brought a richer supply of knowledge. Whether these riches will bear fruit of happiness and well-being for mankind depends entirely on the forces of socialisation that may be brought to bear upon it.’ Cure for Industrial Disturbances. Referring to science as a cure for industrial disturbances, “ The real meaning of science is to improve the race, ’ Dr. Caldwell said. “ It is achieving tilings that 20 years ago were undreamed of. Two men in an airplane have just finished a tenday flight, with their lives depending I upon one lone motor. A scientist has ■ sent a rocket to distant heights by making use of a series of explosions. \nother has risen eight miles In the air In a balloon. In South America a man sent a small balloon up 18 miles. “ Our contemporaries have penetrated into the ocean depths far more than imagined by Jules Verne, and have brought back photographic records. Commander Byrd is now on a great exploration experiment carrving on the work of a scientist *> The earth has been made small by modern transportation. Refrigeration has allowed foods to be brought to our tables from remote corners of our globe. Internationalism Is sure to come as a result of modern distribution and communication. s ® lenc , e . ias developed a new mode of thinking is very slow to accept new ' iH “'environment. not age, determines whether a scientific truth is to tic Adopted or not. This was demonstrated by the way in which the nnnlane and automobile wore first iecosnised. If modern thought and j Lieas keep pace with the inventions j im d ‘scientific progress, the next generation will have a wonderful civilisation.’