Abstract
AT the nineteenth annual Conference of Educational Associations, held at University College, London, the president, Sir Richard Gregory, selected as the subject of his inaugural address “The Worth of Science”. The address was no mere catalogue misonne of the contributions of science to material progress and human comfort, no mere addition of the economic value of scientific discoveries. In terms of billion and bullion only, no such evaluation is possible; for the liberation of life and intellect brought about by the work of the pioneers of scientific discovery is beyond price. Galileo's classic words, Eppur.si muove, helped to establish man's right “to think for himself in the realm of natural knowledge and to place personal observation above metaphysical and philosophical speculation and dogmatic assertion”. Teachers may well be reminded of this debt to science, for without this spirit of freedom, “bequeathed from bleeding sire to son”, their work would be degraded and the punishment reserved for them by Lucian, to sell kippers in the lower world, would be well deserved.
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H., T. The Worth of Science. Nature 127, 81–82 (1931). https://doi.org/10.1038/127081a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/127081a0