GIRARD, KANSAS

and psychology as well as with those of mechanics, geology, astronomy, and all the older sciences. Such a dictionary should be written by specialists in the various fields of knowledge with the aid of a skilled etymologist, and under the supervision of an editor who is not himself a profe ional scientist. It would be his special task to see that the definitions are intelligible to non-specialists, and to literate laymen in particular. Of course no dictionary can take the place of primers of the sciences. There are a number of excellent ones in this series, some of which I referred to in writing this book. It is in many cases impo ible to give adequate explanations in a few words. Besides, the scientific writers themselves frequently quarrel about the true meaning of such a word as ether or instinct . I have dealt here with a number of words which are of significance when we try to set the limits of science. Common sense , philosophy , theology , and superstition are examples. The claims of several branches of knowledge to be considered sciences are also taken up. A DICTIONARY OF SCIENTIFIC TERMS