Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/248

 THE MECHANICS OF SOCIETY. CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY. VIII.

PRIOR to the eighteenth century, when mathematics was almost the only science known, it was customary to treat all subjects under the mathematical form. Dr. Henry More, in an elaborate work, demonstrated the immortality of the soul by a series of geometrical propositions and notations, and, as is well known, Spinoza's Ethics consists of an array of Euclidean theo- rems, corollaries, and scholia. In those days it was supposed that if an argument on any subject whatever could be reduced to a perfect logical or geometrical form and contained no viola- tion of the well-learned rules of reasoning its several propositions were apodictically established.

In modern times all this is regarded as mere pedantry, and any attempt to apply mathematics to the complex phenomena of life, mind, and society is looked upon with suspicion. While all may admit that the test of exactness of any science is the degree to which its laws can be subjected to mathematical rules, it is generally denied that the laws of biology, psychology, and socio- logy can be thus subjected.

While I am one of those who have emphasized this truth, and justly condemned the ambitious propensity to give to such com- plex phenomena a greater precision than they possess, I have never denied that the goal toward which even the highest of them must ever tend is just that perfected stage at which their laws may be mathematically formulated. Moreover, these laws are capable of being roughly classified in this respect, and while some of them may lie beyond all hope of such a formulation others may have nearly reached the point at which it is possible.

The basis of this classification is the generality of the laws

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