48

Logic 43e

definite science. It has its own peculiar problem
springing from an idea. That geometry derived
its birth from land-surveying is the tradition, which
is borne out by the assertion tradition that it took
its origin in Egypt where the yearly floods must
have rendered accurate surveying of special
importance. Moreover the wonderful accuracy
of the dimensions of the great pyramid exhibit
a degree of skill in laying out ground which
could only have been attained by great intellectual
activity; and this activity could hardly fail to lead
to some beginnings of geometry. We may, therefore,
accept with considerable confidence the tradition
involved in the very name of geometry. Speaking
in a braod, rough way, it may be said that the
sciences have grown out of the useful arts, or out
of arts supposed to be useful. Astronomy out of astrology,