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F R E D E R IC!
F ellow

WA T T S
1 7,

J O HNS ON

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of the

HO V E N D E N

Physical Society of Lon dn

S CO U R

F LE E T ST RE E T , LO N D O N , E C
.

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Thi s

What

w ork

i s th e

Heat?

is

sequel

an d

What

ba c k l

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to th e Author

ea f

e my 8

Work

Electrici ty?

18
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Come
F R E D E R IC!

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b
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s
s
(

Em

inen t

What are We When ce did We

An d Whither do We G o

HO V E N D E N
S pe c i a li st s )

Wi th

We

M S
.

ma ny Ill u stra ti on s

re c o mmend our rea der to pe u e thi ork di pa i onately a d

t o form their own opinion an d they will we i magine be la rgely
a si ted by a b en c e o f prejudi c e
I t would be futile to di gui e the
f
fa c t th t in the work
a whole the a uthor repre ent the tende c y
G s ip
mode n thought a mo g th inking people S ci e
The idea whi c h inspire him i not worthle ; it i th at of a kingdom
M a h t G
dia
o f he a ven o n e a rth
Hi fa c i
M r B ovend n i a auda c iou a d fa c inating a uth or
ubje c t a d the un c onventional
n a tion a ri se fro m the ma gnitude
f hi
unpeda nti c m nner in whi c h he treat the m hi a uda c ity c on i t in hi
a ssu med
e ma n c ip ation from a uthority a d c ienti c tra dition
s,

as

ss

ua r

es er

n c

n ce

ss

s w

o s

s s

n.

s s s

"

M a n chester Cou ri er

The aim of the book i to throw a it were a ea rc hlight on the

pitiable a d i m penetra ble da rkne tha t prevail in regard to the tudy
olve the my t y f the unknowa ble
S i mpli ity
of n ature a n d to
rather th an ubtlety ma rk the a a ly i of hi ubje c t an d not at an y
ti me i hi phra eology enigmati ca l o r te c hn ically obsc ure While his
a e ba ed on c a e
a rroga t an d
ta ted he i not
argument
dogmati c as to a ert that o the eviden c e h addu c e he i ntitl d to a
erdi c t of proven B lfa t N ew Lette
A regard his sc ienti c view there i m u c h tha t i true f h has
borrowed la rgely a d ca refully S ta da d
There i no dou bt that the enlightened idea s s t fo rth in the v lum
cannot but relieve the burden f a m ind borne d own by super titio

s er

ss

s s

s s

s s

ss

'

s.

"

or

n.

S mtsma n

s e

r.

so

'

ug e tive a d intere ting if only f the nu mb l s

c ienti g
c qu o ta tions c on ta ined in it note s T uth
an d J dlClO
W ritten in a t a ightfo a rd a d vigorou sty le M r H e de s
book hould o mma nd wide a ttention a a a ble ta te ment f the
sc ie n ti c c on c eptio n
f li fe L i te a y G id

The book
ll

is

ll S s

r w

s r

LO N D O N

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CHA P

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er es

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o

HA LL LI M I T E D

ON FALSE ED U CAT 0N

B!

FR E D

E R IC!

IO V E N D E N ,

R L S

E G

F ellow

Fhe P hy

si ca l

W A TTS
CO
CO U R T F LE E T S T R E E T
.

:7,

J O HN S O N

0
9

S oci ety

Lon don

LO N D

ON

E C
.

F A LS E

ON

E D U CAT IO N

Then upon this ide I make de ta ble of de moon whi c h i a qua re

on eve y ide
o f nine m ultiplied into it el f with eighty one nu m ber
N o I will ma ke di
a d di a m ter nine dere it is done ve y proper
av ail m a t de c h a nge
f eve ry qu a rter m oon da t I h a ll n d by de a m e
proportion f expe n e I lay out in de u ffu m igation as nine to de
a id the
B t D o st
iv l
produ c t f nine multiplied i n to it elf

m
B
h
b
a
h
doe not thi look like agic ?
a
not
si m ple B ronet

It i a ll founded on de pla net a ry

bit
gi
c
in
it
l
l
not
a
bit
ma
at a
a
i n uen c e a d de sympathy a d forc e f nu m ber T HE ANT I! U AR !
s

s,

ersw

s s

P R O B A B L! it i s n ot too much to say that eighty per

c ent of huma n s u fferi n g and misery i n all c lasses of
s o c iety arises from ig n orance and espe c iall y from that
most terrible form Of ignorance edu c ated ig n oran ce
i e false edu c atio n
There can be n o do u bt that al l chem i cal a n d biologi cal
life) phe n ome n a are ph y sica l phe n omena that is
to say the gro u pi n g of s ub atoms atom s a n d mole c ules ;
also thei r motio ns Hen c e the i nterpreter of Nature
the physicist s hould be the high priest of k n owledge
U nfortunatel y the mi nds Of ph y si c ist s have been

warped and stu lti ed by the ed ucatio n al world that is

to say by mea ns of a m etaph y si c al ord er of thought
derived from the a n c ients which is phy si c all y impossible
in Nature
absurd mathemati c s Phy si c ists have
never asked them s el v es what this order Of thought
means b ut hav e s imply followed ea c h other l ike a
oc k of sheep taki n g a wrong path
The Obje c t O f this essay is to expose the absurdities
of this mathemati cal order of thought a n d to sub
stitu te fo r it a ratio n al one
.

O N F ALS E EDU

CA TIO N

uri n g the past ten y ears e fforts have bee n

made to expose this fu ndamental error and n o w
physi c ists and mathemati c ians are begin ni ng to see
the mista ke
This fact is shown especially i n the
President s ( Professor Hora c e L amb) address to the
mathemati c al and ph ysica l se c tion at the B ritish
A sso c iation 1 9 0 4 del ivered at that most remarkabl e

plac e i n the world for su c h an add ress Cambridge

This address was a most c omplete c ondemnation Of the
ex c l usive tenden cy to subordinate the mind to mere
gures and symbols The President said
D

T h e tradi t io n al ki n d of e ducat io n gi ve n t o ou r p ro fesse d

m a t h e m a ti ca l st ud e n ts do es n ot te n d t o i ts m o st e ectu a l
cul t ivati o n
T hi s e ducat io n i s a pt t o be on e si d ed an d
t oo m uch divo rce d fro m t h e st ud y o f t an gibl e t hi n g s
T h e i n vest igat o rs of t h e cl ass i cal school as i t m ay perh ap s
b e styl ed were a n i m a te d by a si m pl e a n d v i go rou s
fa i t h ; t h ey s ough t as a m atter o f cou rse fo r a m e ch a n ic a l
e x pl an a t io of ph e n o m e n a an d had n o m i sg i v i n g s as to
t h e tru st i n ess of t h e an a l y t ic al wea po n s w hich t h ey
w i eld e d B u t n ow t h e physi ci st a d t h e m at h e m at ici an al i ke
a re in
troubl e a bou t t h e i r s oul s
Mod ern a n a l y sts h ave
d is cov ere d ho we ver t h at G e o m etry m ay be a s n a re as we ll as a
It i s n o w s ough t t o est abli s h t h e w hol e fa b ric o f
guid e
m a th e m ati ca l an al y sis o n a stric t l y a r i t h m eti ca l bas i s
To
t ho se w ho were trai n e d in a n e arli er s chool t h e res ul ts so far
a re in a ppea ra n c e s o m ew h a t fo r b i dd i n g
T h e co n ce pti on
o f t h e ph y s i c a l w o r ld a s a m e c h a n i s m co n str uc te d o n a rig i d
m a t h e m at i cal pl a n w ho se m o st i n ti m a te d eta il s m i gh t po ss ibly
s o m e day be gu esse d w as I t hi n k s om ew hat d e p ress i n g We

'

W i tne ss the

ollowing wa il from a prom inent phy i c i t a d mathe

I t i urely a awful thing th a t ma ny ea ne t m beca e
m a ti ia
they h ave fa ith in
hould be indu c ed to pend yea r in ma king rope
The nation feel th a t it c o m mon en e ha been outraged
f a nd
a d it is not m erel y ele m ent a y edu c a tion th a t i going into the m elting
c

s s

u s, s

P rof essor !

P erry, F R S
.

t
o
p

en

us

s
,

ON

FA L S E

E DUCAT I O N

h ave bee n led t o rec og n i se t h a t t h e fo rm al a n d m a t h e m a t ical

e le m e n t is of ou r o w n i n troduc t io n ; t h a t it is m ere l y the
a pp a ra t u s by w hich w e m a p ou t ou r k n o w l e dg e a n d ha s n o
m o re O b! ecti ve re ali ty t h an t h e c ircl es o f l a t i t ud e a n d lo n gi t ud e

t h e su n
on
W e h av e di s c u ss io n s o n t h e p ri n cipl es of
m ec h a n i c s o n t h e fou n d ati o n s o f g e o m etry o n t h e logic o f the
m o st r ud i m e n t a ry a r i t h m et ic a l p roc e sses a s we ll as o f the
T h ese di scu ss io n s
m o re a rt ici al ope ra ti o n s o f t h e C al c ulu s
a n d h av e l e d t o s o m e res ul ts
a re l e gi ti m ate a n d i n ev i t a bl e
w hich are n ow w id e l y acc e p te d
,

W e must remember that this is sta ted from authority

and c omes from the mathematical and physica l world
S uc h is the present phase of advanced thinkers as
regards the mathemati cal order of tho ught !
How is it that all this c on fusion exists ? The
answer is very simple M athematics c an be divided
i nto two distin c t divisions : Common sense mathe
matics 21a arithmetic ; and metaphysi c al or mentally
diseased mathematics rising upwards from and i n c lud
i ng algebra
The fu ndamental error arises i n this

way A rithmetic re c ognises three fa c tors onl y namely

position addition to position and subtrac tion from
position The two last pro c esses ma y be amplied ;
hen c e the n umber of ti m es the operation O f addition to
position is performed is multipli cation
and the
n umber O f times the operation O f subtraction from
position is performed is
divisi o n
The number
added to position is called i n mathematical language
the multiplicand the number of times of addi ng is
called the multiplier and the result O f the O perations
Inversel y what is to be
is c alled the product
subtracted from position is called the dividend
and the number of times of subtracti ng is calle d the
divisor and the number subtracted ea c h time the
,

,
.

FA L S E

ON

E DU CA TIO N

quotient
A ny departure from these fundamental id ea s
is a species Of delu sion or mental disease be c ause n o
physi c al proc esses c orrespond to the expressio ns o r
formul ae Now algebra abrogates these simple fu n d a
mental c oncepts gets rid o f the multipli cand and the
multiplier and the conceptions attached to the word s
a n d ca lls these
factors
Thus the mind gets i nto
pure abstractions the con c ept of the physical operatio n
with the idea of form which is embodied i n prac tica l
arithmeti c is ab o lished
F rom this fu ndamental error
a rises the notion that Objects can be multipl ied together
and the product can be quite foreign to the m u ltiplicand
hen c e such an order Of thought arises that an Object say
One apple may be m ultiplied i nto another Obje c t say
one pear and the p roduct one unit will be neither
apple n o r pear b u t a metaphy si cal something absolutel y
foreign to both of the factors ! Having made this
fundamental error algebra ere c ts an enormous mental
edice u pon an absolutel y impossible or rotten fou n da
tion Possibly algebra must be destroy ed if we are to
make progress A rithmetic is s u f cient ; i ndeed algebra
c an not be worked unti l the sy mbols are converted into
gures and worked when tru e by the foundation of

mathematics arithme tic

These are algebraical con c epts somethi ng (an Object
energy force ) can b e subtra cted from nothi ng ! Some
.

erh ap thi ob c ure b t profoundly i m po ta nt funda m e ta l i e

Algebra by getting rid f the c onc pt
m ay be ma de c le a rer thu
underlying th term m ultipli c nd a d m ultiplier ta te th a t
me a
b m ultiplied into
When
i the
m ultiplied into
6
the y mbol
c onverted into c on c rete nu m ber thi i only tr e h n
F
in ta n c e multi
a d
b h ve the a m e nu m eri c l v a lue
plied 6 ti m e i quite di fferent operation to 6 m ultiplied
ti me
N t only do the pera tion di ffer but nu m ber opera ted on a l o di ffer
P

s :

"

s.

s a re

sa

or

ssu

s.

ON

FA L S E

ED

U CAT IO N

t h i n g c an be subtracted from somethi ng half a time ( an

i m p ossible concept) to produce two somethings I Some
t h i n g c an be added to something half a time ( an im p os
s i ble con c ept) and can produce half a somethi ng !
N othing c an be subtra c ted no times from nothing and
roduce
an
y
number
of
somethings
M
oreover
u
nder
!
p
ce rtai n mathematica l conditions algebra say s that addition
i s the same as subtracti on I In fact algebra when made
i n to con c rete n umbers assumes the power to create
m atter energy and force and equally to destroy the
same This is called an exa c t science ! A nd it is this
absurd order of thought which has been pressed upon
physica l science as the basis of deductive scien c e M ore
over algebra when made into con c rete numbers states
that something can be multiplied b y o r i nto itself F ancy
m ultiplying an orange by or i nto an Orange to pro
du c e an orange to the se c ond power or to multiply this
product i nto another orange to produ c e an orange

to the third power o r the cube of an orange ; or to

m u ltiply a line i nto a line to produ c e an area or to
multiply an area i nto a line to produ c e a cube ! If
the pra cti c al e ffort to do these things is made it is fou nd
that the process is i mpossible Consider the square of
a second o r what is rather abs u rdly called the square of
the ti me
the time m ultipl ied by itself ( S i r O liver
Lodge ) ; or consider the higher mathemati c s : given
three rigid spherical masses thrown i nto empty spac e
with an y in itial motions whatever and abandoned to
gravity ; to determ ine their subsequent motions
is
so complicated as to be beyond the reach of even modern
It is a famous problem known as that
mathematics

of the three bod i es but it has n ot been solved ( Si r

Can it be wondered that with such
O liver L odge )
,

ON

Io

F A L S E E DU CAT I O N

views the mathemati cal ph y si c ist absolutel y fail s to

i nterpret Nature ?
The followi ng parable stri c tl y shows the attitud e o f
the ph y sicist to Nature A certa i n ph y si c ist went to th e

sea shore the tide was j ust begi n ning to rise O n th e

sand midway between high water mark and low 4 w ater

mark he drew with a sti c k a straight Th e parallel to

the waves He then admi red his work say ing to h im

r
:
self
This is ve y clever it is a perfectl y straight l i n e
it is mathemati call y c orre c t it is quite rigid and Natu re
must obey su c h an exact formula
So he pointed to
the li n e and said to the waves : Thus far and n o
further shalt thou ascend
This is an attempt to bind
Nat u re to arbitrary rigid mathematica l lines The pre
sumption and the foll y to attempt to force Nature i nto
rigid mathemati cal l ines are deplorable Nature abhors
the rigid Consider two apples ea c h may be regarded
as an un it and we may say : O n e apple equals another
apple This is mathemati call y correct but it is not true
as no one has ever seen two apples exac tl y alike o r two
natural obje c ts alike Nature abhors the rigid
Ph y si c ists have endeavoured to redu c e all natural
phenomena on the earth to c elestial phy sics basing all
upon Newton s grand law of gravitation But while
the problem of the three bodies is unsolved mathe
m atic ian s can not even inte rpret celestial phy si cs by
In A stronom y we replace a planet by
numbers alone
a so c alled material particle
a mathemati cal poi n t
associated with a suitable n u meri ca l co ei cien t A ll the
properties of the body are here ignored ex c ept those of
m
position and mass
L
amb
The
technical
t
r
e
)
(
mass ( whi c h is mathematical ) is dened b y a late
distinguished ph y si c ist and mathemati c ian as hugger
,

'

O N F A L S E E DUC AT I O N

m u g ger ,

II

b y whi c h the student is demorali z ed by having

t o sw allow undigested a term of which neither he nor his
t e a c h er has a clear and distinct idea ( F itz gerald) N ow
t h e re are man y things on this earth whi c h we can stud y
a n d u nderstand if we eliminate the higher mathemati c s
a n d c onne ourselves to the
q ueen of mathemati c s

f
o
r
W
auss
A
rithmetic
have
of
c
ourse
i
n
e
G
(
)
abstra c t science a right to b egin with an y den ition we
Ch oose
but
our
denitions
must
be
consistent
and
;
follow logi ca ll y from the fundamental pri n c iples of
a rith metic other w ise we ru n the risk Of sooner or later
c o m m itti ng m istakes and encounteri ng paradoxes
z
w
M
er
these
fundamental
principles
algebra
N
o
(
)
not onl y ignores but abrogates This is the grand error
O n e of the most remarkable o f experiments negatory
to the mathemati cal order of thought is to show that
weight or mass is n o t a constant u p on this earth This
can be easil y proved Put an equal weight into each
pan of a balan c e and acc uratel y cou nterpoise them ;
then select one weight and submit it to d ry heat A s it
becomes hot it becomes lighter and this di eren ce can
be measured A s it be c omes c old o r approa c hes the
tem p eratu re o f the weight whi c h it counterpoised it
becomes heavier W here does the mathematical term
mass c ome i n with this fa c t before us ? A gai n put a
small quantity o f water i nto a shallow dish and c ounter

'

Hi story of

T hought i n

E u rop ea n

Cen tu ry,
D evelop m ent of

the N i n eteen th

1 90 3.

Thi v lua ble work give

O n the
M a the
3 p a ge
mati al Thought a d the e p a ge
how the va in e ffo t f the m eta
phy i i n to a tte m pt the i mpo ible
the m king f thi a d the following experi m ent the a uthor i
F
indebted to the well known b la n c e ma ker M r O tli g H informed
the author tha t the he ting f weight by ling
a ltered the va lue
f
eight th a t getting the exa c t va lue
tediou pro c e
a h
E ven
the he t fro m the h a nd will a lter the va lue f weight
s

s c a

or

s s

ss

r s

er

so

e c

: 1

as a
o

s.

ss.

O N FA LS E ED U

12

CAT I O N

a tel y
oise
the
water
i
n
the
balan
c
e
The
water
immedi
p

alters i n weight value so qui c kly that with a del i c ate

balance it takes an ex p ert to Obtai n at the i nstant th e
exa c t value
This alteration is c aused by the w ate r
mole c u les darting off the s u rfac e Of the water at the
ordina ry tem p erature O f the ai r the rate Of motio n
va rying with the temperature and so lighten ing the
mass o f water i n the basin A s eac h molecule darts O ff
the water it expands i n volume and becomes lighte r
N ow
this operation can be intensied and when this is
done the mole c ule becomes so large and light that it c an

be seen rising from the mass O f water the mole c ule is

alive It is profoundly interesting to see the water
mole c ule darting u p i nto the air as if it were thrown by
an invisible hand i n mu c h the same way as a boy
throws u p a ball but u nlike the ball it does not fall to
the earth or gravitate This grand factor agai nst the
law of gravitation has never been pro p erly recogn ised
It is however the key to all terrestrial physi c al pheno
mena It is absolutely beyond the ken of the higher
mathematics S O vast and powerful is this factor that
ou r ve ry existence depends u p on it all c hemical
rea c tions and life phenomena depend upon the factor
n
ex
lained
fu
rther
o
which
produces
this
reaction
( p
)
agai nst gravitation and which can not be studied in
celestial ph y sics nor by mathemati c s
The narrowing a c tion of t ryi ng to exp lain Nature by
n umerical val ues can be best illustrated by the follo w ing
parable : A certa in mathemati cal physicist became so
sat u rated with the higher mathematics that he Obtai n ed
n umerical values for the fu rniture in his house The
table to p had a n umerical value and also the legs of the
table ; so did the c oal s c uttle and even the c oals in the
.

FA L S E

ON

DUCA TIO N

I3

well as the chai rs an d other furn itu re A friend

called upon the physi c ist

a M r Com mon sense
O f his
a n d expressed great astonishment at what was being
See said th e ph y si c ist I have j ust obta ined
do n e
th e n umerical values O f the tongs and of the poker
W hat is gained b y all these measurements ? said
I can u nderstand measurements
M r Common sense

w hen
u want to make o r repeat thi ngs
say tongs or
o
y
pokers Then measu rements are Of value
W hy
replied the physicist
when I have Obtained these
values I can multi p ly them into each other and produ c e

W hat said M r Common sense

a shovel
fo r I
s ee yo u want th is necessa ry arti c le
NO said the
physicist ; I can produce a n umber !
Can not yo u
see
replied M r Common sense
that with your
n u mbers yo u lose the c oncept of form and form is the
Oh
essence Of thought ?
said the physicist you

S O M r Common sense S hrugged

are a fool get away
h is shoulders and departed leavi ng th is O ld fossil

measuring he is still measuri ng A nd this is the ancient

that modern physical scien c e holds u p as an exac t and

perfect pattern a sort Of G o d to rule the un iverse

Clerk M axwell the late eminent physicist and o n e O f
the greatest O f mathematicians clearly exposed the
fundamental error i n these words
m ay a tter t h e m se lv es t h a t t h e y po s e
Ma t h e m a ti ci a
i d ea w h i ch m ere hu m a l a gu age i a s yet u n abl e to
ne
L et t h e m m a ke t h e e ffort to e x p res t h e e id ea s in
e x p res
w i t h o u t the a id f ym b o l a n d if t h ey
a pp ro p ria te wor d
s uccee d t h ey wi ll n ot o l y lay u l aym e n u n der a l ast i g
sc

uttle

as

ns

s ss

u ber a a dje c tive a d a en ele without the noun If

a n wer c o m e
r
on
y
or
write
one
the
O
ne
wh
t
O
r
a
i
f
p
he in like ma nner expre e good the reply Co me W ha t i good ?
thi i m porta nt trui m
It i wonde ful th a t ph y i c i t c a nnot
N m

e s

sa

re

s,

s s

ss

ss s

re s

see

FAL S E

ON

I4

DUCAT IO N

obliga t io n bu t we v e n t u re t o say t h e y w ill n d t h e m s e l v e s

v ery m u ch e n ligh te n ed du ri n g t h e p rocess a n d w ill e v en b e
doub t ful w h et h er t h e id ea s as e x p resse d in s ym bol s had ev e r
f
a
t
ui
te
ou
n
d
t
h
e
i
r
ou
t
t
h
e
e
u
io
n
s
i
n
t
o
t
h
e
i
r
i
d
s
f
w
a
o
m
n
q
q
y
,

W hen M axwell wrote this i mportant c onfession h e

It w as a n
wrote u nder the name of A L ayman
acc ident that revealed his name as the author ; the
quotation was never meant to see the l ight of day with
M axwell s name attac hed thereto Still what a c on
fessio n it is of the ph ysicist s ig noran c e
W e will make the issue still clearer Ph y si cal fu nda
mental u n its are all expressed i n terms Of un its of
length : one c entimetre or one i n c h ; u nits Of mass :
one gramme or one grai n : and un its O f time : one
se c ond or one m i nute These are all articial units
Nature does n ot rec ogn ise them W e c an multiply eac h
i ndependent u n it Thus o n e gram me added to position
ten times produ c e ten grammes to the position and so
on ; or we can i n the same way inversely divide
subtract) the sum This is common sense mathematics
In this way Huxle y S howed the value Of this order of
thought when he said
Mat h e m a ti c s m ay b e co m pa re d to a m i ll o f e xq ui si te w o rk
m a n ship w h i c h g ri n d s y o u st u ff o f a n y d e g ree f n e n ess ;
bu t evert h e l ess w h a t yo u get o u t d e p e n d s o n w h a t yo u pu t in ;
a n d a s t h e g ra n d e st m ill i
th e w o rld wi ll n ot e xtrac t wheat
o u r fro m p eas c o d s s o p ag es o f form ul ae wi ll n ot g et a d e n i te
res ul t ou t of l o o se da ta an d o n a n o t h er occasi o n h e said that

m a t h e m at i c s i s t h a t st ud y w hi c h k n o ws n ot h i n g of o b serva
t i o n n o t hi n g O f i n duc t io n n o t hi n g of ex p er i m e n t n o t hi n g of
ca u s at io n
T h e form er s ta tem e n t w as e n do rsed by Lord
z
! e lv i n
er
op
M
(

W e can not multipl y a centimetre i nto a gramme or a

gra m me i nto a minute
! et this is the fundame n tal
,

ON

16

FAL S E

DU CA TIO N

we have the fu ndamental c on c ept in an algeb ra i c a l

equatio n
But here it is c ommon se n se mathem ati c s
A lgebra is n ot mentio n ed i n th e
i e simple arithmetic
system N ow see how nature ste p s i n and spoi l s th e
mathematics The sovereign rarely per manently eq u ates
c ommod ities ; hen c e we have the rise and fall in p ri c e s
V alues be cause o f the laws of su p ply and deman d a re
always di ffering Now if ph y sicists will th row asid e

their metaphysi c al order of thought for says Si r O l ive r

L odge
few i n deed are the men w ho can handle i t
the higher mathemati c s ) safely and satisfactori l y
and none without contin ual ap p eals to ex p eriment fo r
verication
F o r observe that the mathemati c al stud y
o f Natu re the discove ry of truth with a pie c e of paper
and a pen has a perilous similarity at rst sight to the
straw thrashing subtleties of the G reeks whose methods
of i nvestigating Nature by dis c ussing the meaning of
words and the usage of language and the necessities of
thought had proved to be so futile and unproductive
if the physi c ist we re p eat will adopt com mon sense
mathemati c s and thro w aside the metaphysical and use
mathematics as the chemist does or as the engi neer an d
the car p enter do o r the com merc ial man does the n the
physicist and the mathematician will n o longer be
alike i n trouble about t hei r souls ( L amb)
A c on c rete example will serve u s Physicists recog
nise a law called Boyle s law
It states that pressure
o n gases can be multi p lied into the volu me which the
u
n
ressure
produces
F
ormulate
this
idea
i
n
any
its
p
we may select say the pressure of o n e pou nd w eight
i nto the value of o n e measu red pi nt and try to physically
multiply these tw o u n its to p roduce o n e un it an d the
concept i s found to be physi cally impossible But if w e
-

ON

FAL S E

DUCAT IO N

alte r the idea into c ommon sense mathematic s then we

o btain data natural equations o f great value
Thus
e quate the vol u mes in terms of
ress
re
i
n
this
way
u
p
-

P
P
P

and then with c ommon sense mathematics the equations

will always be true providi ng the external temperature
and the air p ressure are the same This is all that we

require for p ractical purposes that is to say a formula

by which we can repeat o p erations and get certa i n
denite results This is quite a di fferent concept from
that O fp ( pressure ) multiplied into 2) ( volume ) to produce
a constant whi c h is only a n umber without meani ng
N ow
we can u n dersta nd the parable o f the physicist at
the sea S hore The p hy si c ist vainly wa n ts Nature to be
subordinate to the higher mathematics W hat a futile
and egotistical error ! M oreover suppose the formula
were possible it can not be true be ca use if it were true
then the same formula which liq u e es carbon dioxide
will also l iquefy hydrogen This is found not to be
true in practi c e
The followi ng from the writer s book What is Heat
an d Wha t 23 E lectr ic ity 9 fully shows the absurdity of
mathematical con c epts
E v ery o n e k n o ws t h a t m a tter e x pan d s w h e n it i s s a i d t o b e
h eate d t h e o l y e x ce p t i o be i g w h e n t h ere i s a ch a g e of sta te
i
t h e m ol e cul e s u ch as du ri g t h e p ro c ess of c rystall isat i o n
N ow
t hi s i n c rease in d i m e si o n s is call e d by t h e ph ys ici st t h e

c o ef c ien t o f e x p a n io
W e wi ll giv e tw o illu strati o n s of t hi s
expa s i o n fro m tw o we ll k n o w n te x t b oo ks
-

The equ ation y mbol

i here u ed in the
following
2 pen c e
6 ora nge
P ubli hed in 894
s

s.

sa

me

en se

as

the

FA L S E

ON

18

F ig
ro m

ro m

Ca rn ett

is f

DUCAT IO N

E lemen ta ry T reatise

Heat ;

on

N a tu ral P hilosophy , P a rt l I He a t

F ig

r st
t hi n g w hich i m m e d i a tel y stri kes t h e read er is t h a t t h ere a re h e re

x
n
gu red tw o e p ressi o s of o n e fact q u ite d i ffere n t bo t h c a n n o t b e
ri gh t
l n t h e rst case t h e id ea i s t h a t w h e n a body o f a ce rt a i n
a c ert a i n
te m pera t u re
volu m e e x pa n d s N a t u re pi ck s u p

m
f
m
o
a
a
a
s
f
volu es
tter s l b s
i t were o t h e s a m e m a tter t h r e e
p ie c es a n d pl aces t h e m o n t h ree s id e s o f a c ube T h e n i n o rd er t o
m ake t h e i n c rea se d volu m e a l a rg er c ub e t h e m at h e m a t ic i a n
s uppo ses t h at N at u re pu ts i n t o t h e vaca n t edges t h ree l o n g
recta n gul a r p ieces t o ll up t ho se s pac es ; a n d t h e n h e s uppo s e s
f

esc ha n el s

T he

F IG

F IG

dd s n a ll y a s mall cub e t o t h e co r n er T hi s i s a pu re
g eo m etr ic al co n c e p t bu t w h a t a m o n stro sity t h e i d e a is W e w il l
d es c ri be t h e p ro ces s in t h e word s o f t h e ph ys ic ist
M o st s ub sta n ces e x ce p t c ry st a l s e x pan d e q u ally in al l
di re c t io n s w h e n h ea te d I m ag in e a c ubic bl o c k t h e l e n gt h of
w ho se e dg e i s 1 foo t ; its v o lu m e w ill t h e n be 1 c ub i c fo o t Now
s uppo se t h at o n rai s i n g i ts te m perat u re 1 C t h e l e n g t h o f i ts edge

be co m es I
a feet s o a i s its c o ei c ien t of l i n e a r e x pa n sio n

t hat

N a t u re

I t hould be here re ma rked linea r expa n ion i purely a meta

phy i ca l c on c ept be c au e no ma tter a h ave length ithout breadth
I n N a ture m atter a c quire c ubi c a l expa n ion when it i
d depth
hea ted but it i o t the expa n ion de c rib d above by the geometri ia

an

s n

n.

ON

FAL S E

DUCAT I O N

19

a n d the i nc rem e n t
volu m e i s 1 + 3 a + 3 a +
c ubi c fee t
3
o f i t s volu m e is 3 d + a + a cub i c feet
f
r
ti
o
t
hi
s
t
o
T
h
e
a
o
h
t
e
3
3
o r ig i n a l
volu m e v iz
cub i c foo t is 3 a + 3 a + a
w h i ch
on e
e x p re s s io n i s t h ere fore t h e c o-ef c ien t of c ub i c e x pa n si o n
N ow
a
i s i n g e n eral v e ry sm all ; h e n c e a a n d ( it fortiori ) a3 m ay b e
n e g l e c te d i n c o m p a r i so n w i t h a
W e h av e t h e n for t h e co e f c i e n t
-e ic ien t
o f c u b i c e x pa n sio n
u
o
r
t
h
c
o
c
b
i
c
e
x
a
n
s
h
a
e
i
o
n
i
s
t
r
e
e
f
o
p
!
3
ti m es the co e! icien t of l i n ea r exp an sion fo r t h e s a m e sub sta n c e
3
n
T he e ffe c t o f n e gl e c t i n g the term s i n v o lv i g a a n d a m ay b e
i ll u str a te d b y t a k i n g a cub e o f 1 0 c e n t i m etre s s id e t h ree pl ates
e a c h 1 0 c e n t i m etres s q u a re a n d 1 c e n ti m etre t hic k t h ree str ip s e ach
1 0 c e n t i m etres lo n g a n d I c e n t i m etre s q u a re
a n d a cub i c c en t i
m e tre
P l a c e d t og et h er t h e se wi ll bu i ld u p a c ub e o f 1 1 ce n t i
m etres e dg e
If we n egl e c t t h e t h ree stri p s a n d t h e c ub i c
F
ig
c e n ti m etre o u r e n l a rg e d cube i s i n co m pl ete a t t h e e dg es
(
3
n
i
n
n
n
n
a
a
a
a
t
h
i
is
e
u
i
v
l
e
t
to
e
gl
e
c
ti
g
d
t
h
e
b
o
v
e
n
s
a d
a
3
q
ex p re ssi o n
Or we m ay e m pl oy t h e follo w i n g i llu stra tio n I Ta ke a cub e of
w ood o r o t h er m a teri a l o f o n e foo t e dge a n d l et t h i s re p rese n t t h e
u n i t o f volu m e
T h e n a pi ec e of paste b oa rd
S uppo se a t o b e 0 1
o f o n e fo ot s q u a re a n d 0 1 ft t h i c k w ill c o n t a in a u n its o f v o lu m e
w hil e i ts t hic kn e ss w ill be a u n it s o f l e n g t h Take t h ree s uch pl a tes
t h e sum of w h ose volu m e s is 3 a an d appl y t h em t o t h e t h ree fac e s
o f t h e cub e w hi c h m eet i n a po i n t
N ow
take th ree re c ta n gular
stri ps of paste b oa rd a fo o t l o n g an d 0 1 ft S q ua re T h e volu m e of
3
a
e ch of t h ese i s a an d t h e volu m e of t h e t h ree t oget h er is 3 a If
t h ese stri p s be l aid in t h e g roo ves form ed by t h e edges o f t h e
pl ates th ere wi ll o n l y be re q ui re d a cub e o f 0 1 ft s id e a n d
vo lum e a3 in ord er t o co m pl ete a cube o f
or 1
a feet
edge
T h e w hol e i n c re m e n t i n v o lu m e o f t h e o n e foot cube

i ts

T hen

a3

Thi expre ion when put into c o mm on en e l ngu age mean

To a line i a dded a line multiplied three ti me to thi m i a dded a
ar a mul t iplied three ti m e
a d to thi
m i a dded a c ube ! L t the
r ader t y to rea li e thi non en e a d he will nd that hi m ind fa il
What i the to ta l m f the a ddition
I t ill be noti c ed here 3 i a linea r expa n ion 3 i a urfa c e
xp ion while in the illu tra tion both a obje c t of c ubi ca l di men ion
Th
f uper c i a l a re a onl y i a
f a obje c t de c ribed a
l m
c t adi c tion f term
s

ss

-s

s,

su

ress

on r

e o

s.

re

e vo u

s su

s su

s,

s.

O N F AL S E E D U

20

CAT I O N

i s t h e volu m e of t h e t h ree pl a tes t oget h er w i t h t h a t o f t h e t h re e

strip s a n d t h e s mall c ube o r 3 a 3 a
a3
If we take th e
t o be t h ree ti m es t h at o f li n ea r
c o -e i c ien t of cub i c e x pa n s io n
e x pan s io n t h at i s t ake i n t o accou n t t h e pla tes o n ly w e n e gl ec t
t h e strip s an d t h e li tt l e c ube bu t eve n w h e n t h e l in ea r e x pan si o n i s
s o g reat as 0 1 of the o rigi n al l e n g t h t h e erro r s o i n troduc ed i s v er y
"
li tt l e m o re t h a t o n e per c e n t
D es ch an e l see i n g n o doub t t h e ge o m etrical erro r a s
N ow
i llu strate d in F ig 1 s ub stit u tes F i g 2 t h e do tted l i n es o f w h i c h
reall y re p rese n t the tru e co ef c ien t o f e x pa n si o n ; bu t h ere co m e s

n
i
s
m
t h e d i fc ul ty a d t h i s very i portan t t o ob serve the n o ti o n o f
t h e m at h e m at i c ian is t o try t o fo rc e n at u ra l ph e n om e n a t o fol lo w

ri g i d li n es an d N at u re abho rs t h e id ea in fac t w ill n ot have it

It w ould see m t h e m at h em ati cal m i n d can n ot e x p ress t h e co-ei c ie n t
o f ex p a n si o n a s N a t u re p er for m s t h e a c t fo r D escha n el is driven t o

the

sa

me formu la

as

a rn ett

v es to
i
g

ex

He

a
i
n
i
s
d
i
a
m
r
a
l
h
p
g

s ub stit u te s o n l y t h e l etter I for t h e l etter a T hu s h e ex p resses t h e

re ac ti o o f t h e add itio of Hea t to t h e so l i d in t h e se w o rd s
If a cub e w h o se e dg e is t h e u n it l e n g t h e x pa d s e q u a ll y in a l l
l w h ere l i s t h e
di re c t i o n s t h e l e n g t h o f e ach edg e wi ll be c o me 1
l i n ea r e x pa n si o n
a n d t h e volu m e of t h e cube w ill b e co m e ( 1
or 1 3 1 3 l
[
In t h e c a se o f t h e t h erm a l e x p a n sio n o f s o l i d
bod ies I is a l w ays very s m all s o th a t l an d I can be n e gl e c te d a n d
t h e e x pan si o of volu m e is t h erefo re 3 l ; t h at is to say t h e cu b i c a l
T
h is is i llu stra t ed
exp a n sion i s three ti me
the l in ea r xp a n sion
e
g eo m etri ca ll y by F i g 2 w h i c h re p re se n ts a u n i t c ube w i t h a pl a t e
o f t hic k n es s l a n d t h ere fore o f volu m e l a ppli e d t o e ach o f t h r ee
fac es t h e to t al volu m e a dd e d b e i n g t h ere fo re
n ot i c e t h e err o r of e x p ressio n
F ig 2 doe s n ot re p re se n t
N ow
t h e i n c rea se o f volu m e by threefaces b ut by S ix fac es
T hu s t h e i d ea g i ve n by t h e m at h e m ati c i a i n t h e case o f
ex p an sio n of m a tter b y i n c rease o f tem pera t u re is t h e additio o f
T h is i t h e se n se in w h i ch it is u se d ev ery o n e
m a tter to m a tter
k n o ws is n o t tr u e
.

E l em en ta ry T rea tise on
1 889 ,
3

66

Hea t, by W illi a m G

rnett M A
,

e h nel
77

( sth

editi n )
o

t II

E l em en ta ry T rea tise on N a tu ra l P hi losop hy, Pa r

E t
y J D E
A, c
sc a
,

di ed b

verett M

et

Hea t

I I th

by A P
edi tion ) 889
.

FAL S E

ON

DUCAT I O N

2 1

A ga i n let u s take the b road n o t io n t hu s exp ressed by t h e

R
a
a
h
y
i
i
t
a
n
d
see
ho
w
u
tter
l
y
u
n
a
t
u
r
a
l
it
i
s
i
l
w
y
e
n
gi
eers
n
c
s
p
i n o rd er t o all ow fo e x pa n s io n b y i n c re a e o f te m p era t u re pl ac e
N ow
t h e co n c e p t e x p re se d ab ove
t h e rail a s h o t di ta c e a p a rt
t h e h ot wea t h er N at u re pic k up so m e
b y t h e ph ys ici t is t h a t i
s tee l pl aces a p ie c e o n o n e e d o f t h e ra il a n d a stri p o n o n e si d e
t h e to p T hi w ould m ea t h a t we s hould ee in
a d a tr ip o
a a sort o f g re a t
c o ld we at h er pi e c es o f stee l l y i n g b esi d e t h e ra il
a i a ble thi h e e
ay
w hic h t h e ra i l s h ave cas t O ff
c o a t of a l
b ec a u se t h e wea t h er i c o ld a n d w h i c h t h e y a e re ad y to pu t o
t h e weat h er is ho t Is it po s i bl e t o h ave a cl ea rer i llu stra
w he
Tr u e
o f t h e u n re aso n abl e e s o f m a t h e m ati c a l co n ce p t
ti o
u ti l ita ri a or c o m m erc i al pu r p oses ; bu t
s u c h i d ea s h av e va l u e fo
uch Ca n
t h ey a e a b s olu te l y u n real a n d s hould b e re ga rd ed a
e wo n d er t h ere fore t h a t t h e ph y si c ist a pp ro a c h i g N a t u re wit h
uch fu d am e t al n o t io n s fa i l t o p e n etrate t h e tr u t h of N a t u re

s,

s v

s s

ss s,

let u s put the formula i nto common sense terms

and see how terse and c lear the c on c e p t becomes Select
a c ube o f an y material say i ron F ig 2
Bore a hole
i nto the to p to t a thermometer so that the bulb is i n
the centre of the cube L et the cube be heated to an y
temperature and we get natural equations and the arith
m etic employed is of the simplest description and still
more important the calculation is without any neglected
product The equations may be expressed th us
V olume
Temp
1
1 vol
N ow

20

'

and so on B ut the formula will only hold good for the

material used in the c ube There is n o com mon mathe
A nd i n deed the above
matical law of expansion
formula is qualied by the tem p erat u re of the su r
rounding atmosphere when cooli ng i n air It is how
ever good enough for pra c ti cal purpose s
.

ON

22

FA LS E

E DUCAT I O N

B y making tables showing the various reac tions i n

natural equations we obtai n what M axwell suggests is
of the highest value namely a c on c ept which give s
a lasting obligation to the layman ; moreo v er th i s
common sense information will not onl y be of grea t

value to that ve ry large class the edu cated lay men

but will be of great value to the whole c ommunity
M ore than th is it will relieve the edu cator and the pu p il
from a menta l s train whi c h ruins the i ntelligence o f

both for bear i n m ind the words of Si r O L odge :

F ew indeed are the men who can handle it ( th e
higher mathemati c s) safel y and satisfactorily and no n e
without continual appeals to experiment for v erica
tion
The latter confession is p rofou ndl y importa n t
and sho w s that experiment is the only pro c ess necessa ry
D o we go too far then when we say algebra must b e
abolished ? T o substitute algebra for experiment an d
tabulated results is l ike a man wishing to go fro m
L iverpool Street Station to St Pancras Station L ondo n

w ho ta kes the trai n to the mathemati c al c entre

Cam

bridge and then v ia the M idland R ailway returns to

St Pancras !
But does the physicist want the result we a re
W hat the physi c i s t
s uggesti n g ? It is feared n ot
seems to aim at is to create a profession with its trad e
secrets o r mysteries i n order to hide Nature s p ro
cesses from the educated community If this is so
then does not the ph ysicist render himself liable to

the ac c usation of charlatan ism a charlatan ism of th e

worst order ?
The true mathemati c al order o f thought
S im p l e

arith meti c is not only common sense but it is th at

form of math emati c s w hi ch the prac ti cal man wi l l
,

ON

FAL S E

DUCAT I O N

higher m athemati cs is a gran d fu n d ame n tal erro r

that it pre c lu d e s the mind by its abstrac tio n s or narro w
i n g pro c esse s from taking a large view of Natu re a n d
on this large v iew of Natu re man s prospective hap p i
ness and prosperity depend ; secon d l y that this larg e
view and thi s alone will mitigate h u man mise ry ;
and that this large view is onl y to be obtained b y
ex p eri m en t and the closest stud y of Nat u re
Nature i s so liberal that if we approach her i n a
proper spirit she reveals her secrets to u s in the free s t
way A nd this is what she teac hes by experiment
A ll matter organi c and i norgani c is built u p o f

extremely m in u te indestructible obje c ts c alled su b atom s

so m inute as to be quite beyond our ken as to dim en
sions ; b u t these objec ts have d im ensions If we can
permit o u rsel v es to rel y upon o u r i n nate conceptions
c oupled with the observations of the eye an d by reactio n s
whi c h can be experimentally proved then these objects

are alway s sol i d spheres of c onstant d imensions that

E v ery spe c i c c lass or species
is of the same species
of su b
atom s u c h as the oxygen h y d rogen n i troge n
su b -atoms are c onstant i n dimensio ns ; but the dim en
sions of ea c h Class o f su b atom di ffer in volume from
the others ; for i nstance a su b atom o f oxyge n is
di fferent in dimensions from the sub atom of hyd roge n
also there is a di fferential attra c ting power for each
spe c ies of sub atoms This latter is the foundation of
gravitation
These s u b atoms group themselves b y their mutual
attraction and form spheres a n d these spheres always of
the same spe c ies of sub atoms make the Chemist s
,

An

so

experi men t i only oper tion in

th a t it ca be e a ily tudied
n

an

Na

ture made on a

ma ll

scale,

FAL S E

ON

DUCAT IO N

W hen the groupi n g is of di ffere n t spec ies of

tom
s u b atoms the n is
formed the Chemist s mole c ule
T h us a mole c u le of water consists of two groups of
h y d rogen sub atoms and one grou p of ox ogen sub

a to ms
w h ich
form a sphere the water molecule
T h ese c hemists atoms a n d molecules are not rigid but
i n c rease and de c rease i n volume just l ike a soap
b ubble by the absorption of a still vastl y ner atom
w h ich
acts against gravity or an tigrav itates Here
a gai n we u n derstand the parable of the ph y sicist at the
sea shore for the mathematical ph y sicist wants to abro
gate the teachi ng of Nature and to ma ke the Chem ist s
atom or mole c ule an object of constant volume
and form It is very wonderful a n d bea u tiful to see the
m otio n s of the atoms or molec u les ( either term will suit)
of the gases of the elements brom ine c hlori ne and
iodi ne These obje c ts havi ng co lou r c an be examined
i n air and can be seen They becom e lighter and rise

and then denser and they fall the two reac tions form i ng
most i nteresti ng irreg u lar swirls a motion whi c h is
enti rely beyond mathematical concepts A lso it is
equally wonderfu l and i nteresti ng to see the molecules
of water or other liquids i n the vaporous or gaseous
co n ditio n giving a like order of m otio n s
This is what
c an be seen if ph y si c ists will only take the trouble to
look B ut l ike the opponents of tr u th i n old time as
when G alileo req u ested the then orthodox to look at the
real thi ngs in the heavens so the bel ievers i n meta

The a uthor i willing to end pa ti c ula r f a f of the e i mporta nt

to a ny one intere ted i the m who m y
fun da m ent a l experi ment
ad W e t
R
make ppli c tion to him a t G l l a
Thurlow
P
a
rk
o
9
D ulwi c h London 8 E
N o t only
the experi ment very be utiful
very i mple a d ea y to repea t
a d in tru c tive but the y a
s

en e

10

a re

re

ew

s o

26

ON

FAL S E

DUCAT IO N

ph ysi cs the present physi c i s ts reply that this way

of

understanding Nature is not the rigid view of mathe

mati es and therefore such an i nvestigation m u st n ot be
enterta i ned !
Now when gaseous matter
chemists atoms or

molecules
be c omes solid often but not always the
spheres built up of sub-atoms become angular and
then we have the c ry sta l
M ore than this the real factor which ca uses the
di ffere n tiation of structu re is a vastly smaller or ner
atom than the sub atom which we may call an electron
or a corpusc le or the better term we thi nk an atom of
E ther
D o not let us worry about ter m s ; let u s get
the c oncepts lyi ng behi nd the ter m s W e have too
many terms already Now i n mass this E ther if
properly il luminated can be seen as distinctly as water
can be seen com ing out of a water ta p It can be seen
exudi ng out of and rising from a heated weight an d it
can be seen exuding out of and rising from a lead
c ar ry ing the electric c u rrent ; also it can be seen c oming
out of the hu m an body A nd this uid when it attacks
a ther m opile or a thermo co u p le or even a simp le wire
if properly prepared beco m es the electric cu rrent and it
tu rns the needle of the G alvanometer This fact and
other facts the writer ex p eri m entally showed and pub
The nu m erous fundamental
l ished over ten years ago
experiments nearly all tell one grand fundamental tale
and this is the result of appeali ng direct to Natu re i n
the proper spirit and not attem pti ng to boss Natu re
by metaph y sical concepts A nd the tale is : W e l ive i n
,

Wha t
Ha ll )

S ee
an d

is

Hea t

an d

Wha t

is E l ectr i ci ty ?

L
(

ondon

h ap ma

0N

FALS E

E DUCAT IO N

27

o c ean of E ther the same as sh live i n a liq u id and

this E ther oc c upies in a di fferential way the interior of
c hem ists atoms and molec u les and this E ther is
It is
the factor i n all life and al l c hemical reac tions
Take it away from
om n ip resen t
omn ip oten t a n d
matter and m atter as it were slee p s There is neither
building up n o r falli ng down i n molecular c omplexity
But matter does not die for whe n E ther is agai n brought
to matter the i n here n t molecu lar activities agai n arise
and these i nherent activities are the energies of the
chemists and physi c ists atoms and molec u les The
knowledge of these fac ts should be the rst pri nciple
of edu c ation
Now we can u n derstand how dead animals a n d
vegetables are preserved by so called refrigeration W e
si mpl y extra c t and keep out the E ther and th is is c al led
lowering of tem peratu re or c old
A ll these con c epts are quite beyo n d the notio n s of the
mathematician
It is ve ry wo n de rful how the ph y si c ist th rough his
meta phy sical or mathemati cal reason ing is utterl y
oblivio u s to the error i n logic in his fundamenta l
deductions Th u s there is not a physicist but will tell
y ou that when he reduces the volume of a gas he heats
or raises the temperat u re of the gas Now if this were
true li q uid air S hould be i ntensely hot for it is on ly
gaseous atoms red u ced in volu me to about one eight
hu ndredth of its volu me i n the gaseous c ondition at
ordinary tem peratu re ; whereas instead of being i ntense ly
hot it is one of the coldest substa nces known ! A nd
the asse rtion is hazarded that when this fundamental
error is c orrected as it must be the n the p hy sicist wil l

a
ve
ade
a
dis
c
over
y
me
n
tal
r
volutio
n
w hi c h
m
ha
e
an

ON

FAL S E

DUCAT IO N

will transcend i n i mpo rtan c e the all importa n t discovery

that the su n is the centre of the solar system
A ll the mathematical nonsense arises from what i s
taught by the school maste rs Here is where t he great
fu ture mental revol u tion must arise The i ndividual w ho
most pressi ngly needs educating is the school master
L et us raise the curtain of ignorance and peep into the
future The pict u re may not be exact but it will be
nearly true W e are approaching the time when the
pupil will after he has learnt reading w riting an d
arithmetic be taught Natural Philosophy i n lieu of the
nonsense he is n ow c ram med with and whi c h he does
his level best to forget directly he leaves school
Now
when he leaves school he nds that probably at least
one half he has learned is not only of no pra c tical u se
but is m isleading ; hence a natural contempt for his
late teachers a rises The process of teaching nonsense
or error is equally wearisome to teacher as to s c holar
and the present day i ntell igent teacher knows that what
he is doi ng is humbuggi ng his p u pils ; hen c e he has a
natura l contem pt for himself

The teaching of Natural Philosophy wh ich only

m eans the close stud y of Nature in her varied aspects
is not only a pleasure for the teacher and the pupils
but after the school life is over the faculties O f the
pupil are strengthened i n what he has been taught
W e must re c ollect that eve ry i nvention every c om
m ercial success is based upon natural knowledge
How
little is this taught i n schools
Children are not ta ught
to reason but to repeat like parrots To read that all

important B ible not written by human hands the

history of the rocks as i n terpreted by geologi cal
sc i en c e ; to k n ow o n e s own c onstit u tion as interpreted
-

O N F AL S E E D U

CAT I O N

29

by physiological s c ience ; to know ou r exter n al and

i nternal c onditions as i nterpreted by physical s c ien c e
these are m atters which are the foundatio n of ed u cation
But they are rarely taught They are beg i n ni n g to be

taught ; but they are also bei ng ta ught at least as far

as physi c s go through the i nstrume n t we have so

thoroughly c ondem ned

metaphysical mathematics
M ore than this the very attitude of the teacher must alter
He must no longer be the tea c her ex cathedra who c rams

l
the pupi but the co worker with the pupil S imply

a leader and then there will be n o longer the ne c essity

for exam inations to prove the best crammed pupil and to
make a prig of him neither will there a ne c essity of
pri z es to stimulate the p u pil i n being crammed These
alterations are comi ng very quickly mainly from the
U n ited States where edu c ation is so far in advance of
the educati o n i n ou r cou ntry as to com mand the anxious
thought of the best teachers !
Then and then only shall we ascend to a higher
menta l region Natu re then will appear to man so
di fferent
The ai r the water the mou ntai ns the

valleys i ndeed the world as a whole all will have

new values of i nterest and a spirit of admi ration of
Nature will en ter the mi nd of the h u man bei ng In
this educatio n the microscope and the telescope will
largely c ome i nto use for w hen the faculties are
expanded by the u se of these i nstruments then i ndee d
man recognises the truth and
F ind tongue in tree
book in the running brook
S erm on in tone
d good in every thing
,

s,

the report f the M o ely

f Ameri c a
U nited S t a te
S ee

s o

s,

s, a n

du ca tion

Co m m i ssion

to the

Can ti n 14 ed f rom la st page !

B i rmi n gham D aily Post

I t i no t a mere c ompila tion of fac t

built up on orthodox lin e b ut a well thought out d
a d theorie
M a y of hi c o c lu ion s w ill requ re powerful
a refully rea oned e
ay
upported by pra c ti ca l proof to ga insay a d overthrow a d
a rgu m ent
he ha f t i d hi po ition by C p i
quota ti o n from the writ ng of
o me f the mo t pro minent c he mi t a d phy i c i t of the da y I t i an
minently re a d ble book a d a ny one who t down di p a iona tely to
m a ter it c ontent c a nnot f il to be tru c k ith the auda c ity ith w hi c h
t he a uthor e m n c ip a te
hi m elf from c ienti c t a diti on H tell a
co mplex tale in a very i mple manne
th at a layma a under ta nd
a d gr
p the i ue involved in f ct it i t thi Cla of reader tha t
the work will m o t a p pea l a it will require grea t c ourage on the pa rt f
the prejudi c ed p e c ial t to c knowledge th at hi pre c on c eived notion
a
wrong P art I on ma themati ca l a d phy i ca l Con c ept i power
full y written a d a d m ira bly a r ued
f o me
t the we a kne
I
t
point
g
ma t hema ti c a l re a oning on wh c h the fa bri c of m der ci enti c theorie
a
re c ted
The book will am ply repay a careful peru al a d
whether one i c o verted to the view f the a uthor or not the inte e
a rne tne
a d t ena c it y with whi c h he h o ld
to hi c onvi c tion ca nnot
fa il to i m pre
the rea der with the great impo tan c e of the i ue ra i ed
W referred thi ma tter ra i ed in the
The I n dian En gi n eer
bookto
e m inent profe or a d thi i wh at he ha to ay a bout it
Thi i a very di f c ult bo ok to review a d the verd ic t whi c h i
pronoun ed upon it i likely to depend a s muc h on the idio yn c ra ie of
the reviewer a on it intrin i c merit
beginning t o
Phy i c i t a
re cog i e tha t u c h que tion fa ll within the d oma in of their c ien c e
S u c h ubje c t a tho e trea ted in the b o ok be fore
efore not to
a e th
be put ide b yengineer a of no pra c ti ca l i m portan c e ; f if they
were fully under tood they might ena ble u to hook our ma c hinery on
to the m a c h inery f na ture a d ca u e a c o mplete revolution in every
d ep a rt ment of indu try
H c ri ti c i e very everely the methods o f
the ma the mati c ia n a d in man y case not without ju t rea o
F a ra d ay th gre te t of experi m ent li t
knew no m the mati c but
y et he ta ught the ma the ma ti c ia n howto i terpret their own ex pre ion
Machi n ery
Although there may be di fferen c e of pini o n a to
whether he has u cc eeded in hi obje c t there cannot be two opinion a
t whether he ha been
uc c ful in produc ing a book f ab orbi g
intere t Thi he ha u ndoubtedly done
T he El ectri cal En gi n eer
This book c onta i mu c h t ha t is inter
ti g m u c h that ough t to lead to thought mu c h tha t i true ma y
very exc ellent a d in tru c tive e xp eri me t
he ha m o t c ertainly
hown how ea ily exi ting theorie ca be atta c ked their fra iltie
d
weakne e made pla in
I n ven ti on
The writer fortuna tely remind the reader that all
a lon g he h
only endeavoured to pla y the pa rt o f a barri ter
to
tate the fa c t f the ca e c learly a d c o c i ely and to lay them be fore
t he rea d r o th a t he ma form hi
jud
ent
book
it
el
T
h
e
f
i
m
s
y
g
omewha t enterta ining by the bold a d daring ay i whi c h the a uthor
deviate fro m the bea ten tra c k of c ie c e
W would like t o quote c o idera bly fro m thi s
S ci en ce G ossi p
wo rk ha d e pac e avai lable f it i o e whi c h will i tere t ma y
W will leave to our rea de the plea ure of mastering M r
p eople
Ho e de
own c on c lu ion fo the y wo uld poil by c onde a ti o
W hether they be right o r whet her they b e wrong they a plea a tly
to ld a d a
well worth examini g
n

ss

s, s

or

as

ss

re

ss

ss o

s ou

s,

re

n c

ss

s o

ss

ss

n s

o r,

s,

s s

s s,

n.

s,

ss

er

re

s s

us

as

s.

ns

ss

an

n s

is

r, so

ss

Si s

s s

s s

an

ous

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s,

s.

e ss

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ns

es

n s

ss s

an

as

s o

s ow n

or

ns

rs

n s

s,

ns

re

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s n

n.

WHAT

AND

IS ELECTRICIT!

F R E D E R I C ! HO V E N D E N
F ello w of the P h ys i ca l S oc i ety o f L o n do n

Bv

Worried Without

P lai n ly

T echn icali ties, E x actly D

Chemi cal New

escri bed.

Thi s i a ve y rema rka b le book an d the out c o m

The r t ecti on f the b o ok i a c riti c i sm of
of a re ma rka ble work
The a im f the di cu i is to
ma the ma ti c al a d p h y i ca l c o n ept
di se ta bli h the m the ma ti c ia n fr m wh at we hould h ave c on idered hi
unque tionabl e po ition of lea dership in the a ffair f c ien c e M r
H e d twit him wi th the unrea lity f the m o t ordina y f ma the
S e ction II is de v oted to de t u c tive c riti c i m of
matical opera tion
the kineti c theory W e c ommend thi e c tion a indeed the p e c e ding
f well c h o sen ex c erpt s fro m the writing
f Clerk
for a c olle c tio n
Ma xwell a d others w ho h a ve c ontributed to the ela bo a tion f t hi s
r ma rkable theory
The u cc eeding se c tion n G ra vita tion an d
W eight is si mil arly devoted to c orre c ting the on fu i on with hi c h
Clerk M axwell a d Lo rd
th S pe c i a li t h a ve urro unded the m elve s
e pe c ia lly singled out fo r treat m e n t on acc ount f thei r
R a y leigh a
pro noun ce ment that gravita tion is not a forc e
The la t
tions of
the book a e the m o t origi n a l by fa They c onta in a ca eful de c ription
i n tere ting experi ment s a d ob erva tion pre c eded
f a nu mber f
by a ta tement 0 the ca e or i p i i formulation f the a uthor vie
The view i nothing les tha n re marka ble The e
of the mi c r o c o m o
very fe c ienti c m who a prepa ed with anything li k a
a
c omplet
the c on titut on of matter of the till mo re
ed in rega rd t
elu ive quan tity known as ether M r H e d has given
a
o bje c t le so of boldnes s in redu c ing the re ult e videntl y f y ea rs o f
thoughtt o a comprehen sive tat m mt in t w e ty three rtic le
Th
that the et her i a a nti grav i
m ost i mporta nt c o n c l u ion a
a uthor
ta tin g uid tha t the ato ms a d mole c ule sthe ulti mate fo rm of matte r
f va ri able form an d di men io n ; the d i fferen c e in di men ion s i s
a
due to variation of the q ua ntity f ether held b y them t a gi ven
f th a to m or mole c ule
mo ment an d is wh a t i c a lled the t mp e atu
th a t both ethe a d m le ule m y be brought t o vi ual
a d l stly
dem on tration may be ee u n der c ondition s whi c h it ha been a ma i
In t he e expe ri me n t s the utho r
endea vou r of the a uthor to devi e
how a good deal of ingenuity E very tu dent a cc u tomed to the
tri c tly quantita tive meth od of m odern c ie nc e would nd him elf ve ry
mu c h pu l ed by the arado xi a l ob e rvation whi c h M r B ovenden i
c reate a d put efor him in su c h form a s t o be undeni ble His
a ble t
i n tuitive sc epti c i m would a t on c e sugge t the question Ca th se
ob serva tio n s involving n o t a i ngle qua n tita tive m ea ure ment c on titut
c i en c e whi c h only bega n to m ove with the
a de t ruc tive c riti c i m o f a
entranc e of the qu antitative metho d a d ha progre sed pa i p u with
the redu c tion of the ph o m a t ma the mati cal xpre on Hi m o t
natural c riti c i sm would be t here m u t be om ething wrong o mewhere
s

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