New Theories in Astronomy

New Theories in Astronomy

That a little knowledge is a dangerous thing to the possessor, has been pointed out often enough, probably with the idea of keeping him quiet, but it is very certain that the warning has not always had the desired effect; and in some respects it is perhaps much better that it has not, for it is sometimes the case that a little knowledge exhibited on an inappropriate occasion, or even wrongly applied, throws light upon some subject that was previously not very well understood. It sometimes happens that unconscious error leads to the discovery of what is right. The fact is, all knowledge is at first little, so that if the first possessor of it is kept quiet there is little chance of its ever increasing. On the other hand, much knowledge seems to be quite as ready to become dangerous on occasion, for it has sometimes led its possessor to fall into errors that can be easily pointed out, even by the possessor of little, if it is combined with ordinary intelligence. The possessor of much knowledge is apt to forget, in his keen desire to acquire more, that he has not examined with sufficient care all the steps by which he has attained to what he has got, and that by placing reliance on one false step he has erected for himself a structure that cannot stand; or, what is worse perhaps, has prevented those who have followed him in implicit dependence on his attainments and fame from finding out the truth. If, then, both of these classes are liable to fall into error, there appears to be no good reason why one belonging to the first mentioned of them should absolutely refrain from making his ideas known, especially as he may thus induce [2] someone of the second to re-examine the foundations on which he has built up his knowledge. These reflections are in greater or lesser degree applicable to all knowledge and science of all kinds, even theological, in all their individual branches, and can be very easily shown to be both reasonable and true. And it may be added, or rather it is necessary to add, that every one of all the branches of all of them has a very manifest tendency towards despotism; to impose its sway and way of thinking upon the whole world. At various intervals during the present century speculation has been indulged in, and more or less lively discussion has taken place about the great benefit it would confer on universal humanity, were all the weights and measures of the whole earth arranged on the same standard. The universal standard proposed has been, of course, the metrical system, which had been elaborated by French savants who most probably thought they had arrived at such a state of knowledge that they were able to establish the foundations of all science of all kinds and for all time, upon the most sure and most durable principles. These periods of metrical fever, so to speak, seem to come on without any apparent immediately exciting cause, and some people succumb to the disease, others do not, just the same as in the cases of cholera, influenza, plague, etc. Whether some species of inoculation for it may be discovered, or whether it will be found that an unlimited attack is really perfect health, will most probably be found out in the course of time, although it may be some centuries hence. What is of interest to understand at the present time is, what are the benefits to be derived from the proposed universal standard of weights and measures, and how they are to be attained. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 45356
Author: Stirling, William
Release Date: Apr 10, 2014
Format: eBook
Language: English