Read at the meeting o[ the Section of Physics and Chemistry held
Thursday, November 3, z9Io.)
[The' writer discusses the difficulties which arise when an attempt is made to apply on a commercial scale the results obtained from laboratory experiments. He is of the opinion that the chemist is best fitted to overcome these difficulties who combines with the scientific mind a certain amount of common sense.] INDUSTRIAL chemists may well pride themselves upon being engaged in one of the most important and useful branches of the so-called sciences of the present day, and one that requires, in a certain sense, more science in the solution of its problems, than any other.
The question has often occurred to me, however, to what extent is chemistry a science, and is the solution of its problems a purely scientific work. After analyzing the subject carefully, I am lead to venture the statement that chemistry, as we understand it, is not a science, in the strict sense of the term, a!though it cannot be denied that the enormous advance that has been made in the field of chemistry during the past century, is due in a measure at least, to. what is known as scientific investigation and the application of scientific principles. Much of the success, ho.wever, if not the largest part of it, is due to the application of what is known as common sense, in contradistinction to so-called science.
Some one has defined science as " organized common sense," and this definition, to. a certain extent, is true, but the common sense that I refer to is that which is., so to. speak, unorganized, and follows no given rule, but occasionally arrives at a conclusion in a problem, without any definite reason, except it be on the plea, that all great discoveries are the result o.f accident.
Taking the definition o.f science as organized common sense, or to use another expression, as systematized facts, this definition 451