The Personality of the Scientist

Theoretical science developed with the Renaissance, its philosophy formulated by Bruno, Bacon and others. At that time it was necessary to encourage a new approach to the phenomena of nature Ancient traditions had to be flung aside and the universe judged by new standards. Men tried to depend not upon myths and theories but rather upon their own experience. They eagerly sought by observation and experiment an objective record of nature, and intrusion of philosophic speculation was considered a danger to the scientific attitude. The personality of the scientist was systematically excluded and the results of research described as objectively as possible.

To achieve this goal of a completely objective record of natural events, the early scientists had to overcome a great language difficulty, for the ordinary language of the people is rich in metaphors and imagery, tending to introduce an animistic tinge into the description of objects. In time, however, the scientists developed a language of their own, by means of which they were able to express themselves more accurately than in the popular speech. Thus scientific language today is so technical that it is bewildering to the uninitiated. This is particularly true of the older natural sciences, although in physics such originally animistic terms as “repulsion “and “attraction” of bodies are still used. In the younger sciences, especially those dealing with man, popular language is used to a greater extent and many scientists in these fields find this a handicap. This has been particularly true in psychology and has been an important factor in the growth of such movements as that of Behaviorism.

The objective method of science has undoubtedly been tremendously successful in enhancing knowledge. Yet there is much to excite the curiosity of the student of human nature in this systematic effacement of the personal factor in the scientist. These rigid rules which determine how the man shall look at objects, how he may shape hi