MS 1343 (1902) - Of the Classification of the Sciences

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Second Paper. Of the Practical Sciences.

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doubtedly belongs to this group. As to Wine-pressing there may be a doubt, for the reason that in practice it is all one science with Viticulture. This, though a special science (or rather, a different science in each district, and often multiple even in one district,—witness the great difference between the knowledge requisite for Claset and for Santerne), yet involves so much that is common to Agriculture that it might seem as improper to separate it from that science as it would be to separate Market-Gardening. Now Agriculture cannot with propriety be treated as a science ministrant to the Gust-instinct, because, even if nothing but articles of food were grown on a farm,* the inquiry is not conducted with any particular concern about the gratification of the palate. If this is considered at all, it is a very minor consideration. The farmer knows less about gastronomy than most men, the agricultural colleges have no professor of this science, and one may search the

*The temptation to put Botanergy [in] the group of practical sciences concerned with plants and the food-sciences is strengthened by the consideration that the very word botany comes from βόσμω, to feed. The root (βο) is doubtful.

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memoirs of agricultural scientists in vain for any but the most trivial reference to the sense of taste. The same thing may be said of Fruit Growing, of Olive Growing, and of Mushroom Growing. With Viticulture it is very different. Nothing is put upon the soil without considering its effect upon the taste of the wine, and there is hardly anything common to the knowledge requisite for Wine-making and that requisite for Agriculture. A special division of this group concerns the peculiar science of Tobacco-curing, with the secondary sciences of Cigar-rolling, Snuff making, etc. A somewhat isolated science ministrant to the Gust-Instinct is that of Perfumery.

Among sciences intended to gratify the Getting-Instinct, we are not to include Economics, although it is defined as the science of wealth. For its fundamental part is not a practical science at all; and its practical branch is not studied for the purpose of making its student rich. The present division must consist rather of such sciences as Book-keeping, Rating, Banking, Patenting, Insurance, Fire-extinguishing,

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Safe-making, Lock-making, Making Registers of Case and Carfares, and the like. The science of Advertizing has, as it is actually conducted, an indirect reference to the Getting-Instinct, but it is a branch of the science of impressing people's minds, and, as such, ministers to the Graphic-Instinct. The same is true of Indexing, Typewriting, Copying, Hectographing, Telephoning, Telegraphing, Ticker-making, Codemaking, etc.

The sciences ministrant to the Gentleman-Instinct, must be restricted to those which concern the house; for genealogy, heraldry, etc. profess to be historical, and therefore, theoretical sciences. Moreover all the sciences of houses must be placed here, since it would not be a natural classification which should separate them. They are in part not exactly ministrant to this instinct; but it is this instinct to which they owe their being. They divide themselves into those which relate to the house itself, those which relate

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to the ground. The former subdivide into House-Building, Furnishing, and Housekeeping. As to House Building, it is to be remarked that men do not devote their lives inquiring into the best way of making caves, snow-houses, ice-houses, submerged-houses, or glass-houses; and the making of tents is a branch of the sailmaker's art. Sky-scrapers, cathedrals, and other enormous structures are not built scientifically unless the construction is entrusted to civil-engineers; and engineering is not a science principally ministrant to the Gentleman instinct. We, therefore, find the houses to the study of which the present group of sciences is confined are ordinary houses of wood, stone, and concrete. When a man who knows how to use modern inventions shall be employed by a multimillionaire to make a really good house, the whole science will be revolutionized. But it will probably be two generations before such intelligence is developed. Stone-laying and masonry are not confined to house-building. But Carpentry is so chiefly; for

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ship carpentry is another science. Other sciences contributory to house-building are Roofing, Plastering, Stair, Sash, Blind, and Door Making, Parquetting, Chimney-Building, Mantel-Making, the Making of Builder's Hardware, Plumbing, Annunciator-making, the Making of Elevators and mail shutes, Ventilating, Heating, and Refrigerating. Domestic Architecture, as distinguished from Monumental Architecture, is only secondarily a Fine Art, and principally ministering to the Gentleman-Instinct, belongs in this group. Decoration, of which the same thing may be said may be considered as belonging to Furniture. Paper-hanging is a science connected with it. The movable furniture is the subject of a science guiding the Cabinet-Maker, the Upholsterer, the Mattress-Maker. Carpets belong to Weaving which is not principally ministrant to the Gentleman Instinct. Housekeeping seems to be a single science. The adornment of the grounds depends on the

Last edit over 7 years ago by jasirs94
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