Abstract
IN his Halley Stewart Trust Lecture delivered in the Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, London, on November 21, Prof. Julian Huxley discussed “Science and Social Needs”. The academic view of science is that it is “pure” a disinterested explorer of the unknown, and thus an accumulator of organised knowledge. Opposed to this is the view that science is essentially practical, showering upon humanity gifts in the shape of inventions and technical improvements. A third view is that science, far from being beneficent, is actually an evil genius. Of course, the application of scientific methods in the mechanisation of industry may result in unemployment. But the blame does not lie with the scientific worker, but rather with the present economic system. Science is actually a tool, and is therefore ethically neutral. The tempo of scientific discovery may be too fast for modern society; but that is a matter for practical adjustment, not for moral condemnation. The true fact is that science embodies both the first and second views, in that it is both knowledge and control, pure and applied. Progress may flow either from theory to practice or vice versa.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Science and Social Needs. Nature 136, 865 (1935). https://doi.org/10.1038/136865c0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/136865c0