AN ENUMERATION OF THE SCIENCES
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A BRIEF enumeration of the principal sciences, the
groundwork of which it is our business to inquire into,
may fitly, we think, precede the inquiry itself.
Various attempts have been made at a classification of
the sciences according to the subjects about which they
are occupied ; some sciences being set down as " abstract,"
others as "abstract-concrete," and yet others as "concrete"
simply.
All such attempts we regard as futile. Every science is
a definitely organized system of recognized relations between
thoughts and objects, between thoughts and thoughts, and
between objects and objects ; and no science can be learned
save by the aid of language spoken, written, or both. But
all language is highly abstract ; nor can the most concrete
objects (e.g.> a tray of specimens of different minerals) be
apprehended and compared save by the aid of very abstract
ideas.
On the other hand, not the most abstract of all ideas, that
of "being," or "existence," can be made use of without
reference to some concrete reality to which that idea truly
applies. Even the most extreme of Idealists, he who thinks
that the whole universe about him is but the creation of
his own mind, or he who deems it (his own being and
thoughts included) to be but passing phases of some other
16
A BRIEF enumeration of the principal sciences, the
groundwork of which it is our business to inquire into,
may fitly, we think, precede the inquiry itself.
Various attempts have been made at a classification of
the sciences according to the subjects about which they
are occupied ; some sciences being set down as " abstract,"
others as "abstract-concrete," and yet others as "concrete"
simply.
All such attempts we regard as futile. Every science is
a definitely organized system of recognized relations between
thoughts and objects, between thoughts and thoughts, and
between objects and objects ; and no science can be learned
save by the aid of language spoken, written, or both. But
all language is highly abstract ; nor can the most concrete
objects (e.g.> a tray of specimens of different minerals) be
apprehended and compared save by the aid of very abstract
ideas.
On the other hand, not the most abstract of all ideas, that
of "being," or "existence," can be made use of without
reference to some concrete reality to which that idea truly
applies. Even the most extreme of Idealists, he who thinks
that the whole universe about him is but the creation of
his own mind, or he who deems it (his own being and
thoughts included) to be but passing phases of some other
16