Scientism and Values.pdf - Ludwig von Mises Institute

More documents

Recommendations

Info

182 Scientism and Values ogists have conceptually and experimentally separated the two aspects of growth, increase and differentiation, even though in the growth of organisms they are not separate activities. Since there is no general theory of growth that deals with growth in toto by subsuming the two huge categories of facts concerning the two aspects of growth, one must examine each separately. Even a quick look at the quantitative aspects of growth in biological writings soon leads one to the Verhulst-Pearl law of growth (19) or some modification of this law. This law says that under the right conditions an individual or a population starting anew in a favorable environment will grow through the following phases (9): 1. Lag phase: growth rate null. 2. Acceleration phase: growth rate increases. 3. Exponential phase: growth rate constant. 4. Retardation phase: growth rate decreases. 5. Stationary phase: growth rate null. 6. Decline phas,e: growth rate negative. The usual method of determining quantitative growth is to measure the amount of protoplasm present at intervals of time. Measurement of the amount of protoplasm is never a direct process. Wet weight, dry weight, number of cells, linear measurement, and the like are assumed to give a figure which is directly proportional to the amount of protoplasm in the organism. When the growth measurements are plotted against time, the growth curve will be the so-called S-shaped curve and will show the phases noted above. The curve is not really S-shaped. The lag phase starts parallel to the horizontal time coordinate. During the acceleration phase the growth curve bends upward along the growth measurement coordinate until it reaches the exponential phase, which is represented by nearly a straight line sloping at an angle dependent upon growth rate. This maximum rate of growth begins to slow down as the retardation phase sets in. Gradually growth slows down until decline balances growth and the stationary phase is reached, the curve in this phase being again horizontal. Decline follows, and growth rate is negative. This law of growth, despite its narrow limitations, has been very
Growth} in Biology and, in Education 183 useful in biology. It forms the basis for the development of assay methods for vitamins and other biologically important substances; it permits comparisons of different diets; it forms the basis for recognizing and analyzing variability in populations; it is, useful in exploring the problem of enzymatic adaptation; and other problems such as the exploration of factors in. the environment that affect growth. One often finds that growth fails to follow the expected S curve. Deviations in the curve suggest that unexpected factors are at work. These factors may be in the external or in the internal environment. The work of Braun (2) describes a situation in which an internal genetic factor and external nutritional factors are at work simultaneously in modifying the typical growth curve. Knowledge of the law of growth, plus much other knowledge, often makes it possible for scientists to explain apparent deviations from the law, and thus the law of growth forms the basis for advances in biological knowledge. The growth of populations, or of individuals in nature seldom follows the law of growth in detail. The smooth curves are based chiefly upon laboratory data. Varying factors in a natural environment, such as temperature, rainfall, food supply, disease, usually disturb the even growth curve that is so often found under laboratory conditions. Inherent factors will cause pronounced deviations from the law of growth in many organisms, whether growing in nature or in the laboratory. In mammals the inherent characteristic of carrying the young internally through early stages of growth greatly affects the growth curve of each individual. The onset of activity in some endocrine glands may also affect growth to a considerable extent. Both of these effects are pronounced in human growth. In this brief look at the law of growth we have already noted some of the applications and limitations of the concept. Even when we consider its application to quantitative growth alone, the law has stringent limitations. As a descriptive tool the law serves fairly well under carefully controlled conditions, but even here difficulties exist. A statement by Sholl (17) points out some of these difficulties when considering the growth of an animal.
Page 1 and 2:
Scientism and Values
Page 3 and 4:
Freedom School Library Scientism an
Page 5:
Contributors LUDWIG VON BERTALANFFY
Page 9 and 10:
Introduction HELMUT SCHOECK "Scient
Page 11 and 12:
Introduction xi conventionally asso
Page 13 and 14:
Introduction xiii sometimes pejorat
Page 15 and 16:
Introduction xv signs of scientism
Page 17:
1 Social Science and the Problenl o
Page 20:
4 Scientism and Jlalues large in th
Page 32:
16 Scientism and Values One additio
Page 36 and 37:
20 Scientism and Values standing of
Page 38 and 39:
2 Objectivity and Social Science w.
Page 40:
24 Scientism and Values The status
Page 43 and 44:
Objectivity and Social Science 27 T
Page 45:
Objectivity and Social Science 29 t
Page 50:
34 Scientism and Values III Let us
Page 53 and 54:
Objectivity and Social Science 37 m
Page 55 and 56:
Objectivity and Social Science 39 v
Page 57 and 58:
Objectivity and Social Science 41 J
Page 60 and 61:
44 Scientism and Values conditions
Page 62 and 63:
46 Scientism and Values support of
Page 64 and 65:
48 Scientism and Values 10. From th
Page 66 and 67:
3 Science and the Studies of Man EL
Page 68 and 69:
52 Scientism and Values question. I
Page 70:
54 Scientism and Values out fear of
Page 73 and 74:
Science and the Studies of Man 57 d
Page 75 and 76:
Science and the Studies of Man 59 a
Page 77 and 78:
Science and the Studies of Man 61 m
Page 79 and 80:
Science and the Studies of Man 63 a
Page 81 and 82:
Science and the Studies of Man 65 c
Page 83:
Science and the Studies of Man 67 b
Page 86 and 87:
70 Scientism and Values restoring e
Page 88 and 89:
72 Scientism and Values suade their
Page 90 and 91:
74 Scientism and Values is searchin
Page 92:
76 Scientism and Values The disagre
Page 96 and 97:
80 Scientism and' Values 4. I have
Page 98 and 99:
82 Scientism and Values out the dif
Page 100:
84 Scientism and Values "ought," or
Page 103 and 104:
Concealed Rhetoric in Scientistic S
Page 105 and 106:
Page 108:
92 Scientism and Values two importa
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 116 and 117:
5 Fiduciary Responsibility and the
Page 118 and 119:
102 Scientism and Values the latter
Page 120 and 121:
104 Scientism and Values whatever t
Page 122 and 123:
106 Scientism and Values rewards as
Page 124 and 125:
108 Scientism and Values the sponso
Page 126 and 127:
110 Scientism and Values But let us
Page 129 and 130:
Fiduciary Responsibility and Improb
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
6 Knowledge: Unused and Misused HEL
Page 137 and 138:
Knowledge: Unused and Misused 121 w
Page 140:
124 Scientism and Values know that
Page 146 and 147:
130 Scientism and Values grows in p
Page 148 and 149: 132 Scientism and Values sible, may
Page 151 and 152: Knowledge: Unused and Misused 135 A
Page 153: Knowledge: Unused and Misused 137 e
Page 157 and 158: Knowledge: Unused and Misused 141 A
Page 159 and 160: Knowledge: Unused and Misused 143 t
Page 161 and 162: Scientism in the Writing of History
Page 171: Scientism in the Writing of History
Page 176 and 177: 160 Scientism and Values acting to
Page 178 and 179: 162 Scientism and Values positivist
Page 180 and 181: 164 Scientism and Values hold that
Page 182: 166 Scientism and Values I have gat
Page 186 and 187: 170 Scientism and. Values are attem
Page 188: 172 Scientism and Values nothing ca
Page 191: The Mantle' of Science 175 arbitrar
Page 194: 178 Scientism and Values 9. See F.
Page 197: 9 Growth, in Biology and in Educati
Page 201 and 202: Growth} in Biology and in Education
Page 203 and 204: Growth) in Biology and in Education
Page 210 and 211: 194 Scientism and Values This absen
Page 212: 196 Scientism and Values The follow
Page 218 and 219: 10 The Psychopathology of Scientism
Page 220 and 221: 204 Scientism and Values sarily the
Page 222: 206 Scientism and Values In the ear
Page 227 and 228: The Psychopathology of Scientism 21
Page 229 and 230: T he Psychopathology of Scientism 2
Page 231 and 232: T he Psychopathology of Scientism 2
Page 234: 218 Scientism and Values tee ... U.
Page 238 and 239: 222' :, Scientism and Values II The
Page 240 and 241: 224 Scientism and Values example, c
Page 242 and 243: 226 Scientism and Values it. And th
Page 245 and 246: Social Science Versus the 0 bsessio
Page 247: Social Science Versus the Obsession
Page 251:
12 Social Science As Autonomous Act
Page 254 and 255:
238 Scientism and Values pretation
Page 256:
240 Scientism and Values dore M. Ne
Page 259 and 260:
Social Science As A utonomous Activ
Page 262 and 263:
246 Scientism and Values testable i
Page 264 and 265:
248 Scientism and Values applicatio
Page 266 and 267:
250 Scientism and Values v Before o
Page 268:
252 Scientism and J1alues ances. Th
Page 271 and 272:
Page 273:
Page 277 and 278:
ACKERKNECHT, E. H., 216 Adler, Fran
Page 280 and 281:
264 Tocqueville, Alexis de, 256 Tol
Page 283 and 284:
historical process, 146 f. historic
Page 285 and 286:
science (Cont.) levelling in, 208 o
show all

Scientism and Values.pdf - Ludwig von Mises Institute

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?