Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 85.djvu/559

Rh seize a part of this ceaseless river of free energy (mainly from the sun) flowing by us to the sea of dissipation, and divert it to human uses. We can never increase its amount, but by ignorance or maladroitness we may waste or destroy some of that part which is available to man, by facilitating instead of reducing its dissipation. Each of us is, then, made a trustee of that single working capital, that foundation of our collective possibility of living, and his value to mankind is measured by the proportion of total free energy that he takes from the general stream and applies to the benefit of the race. If, however, by carelessness or misuse he allows the free energy which is under his control to become dissipated, he is guilty of a crime against the general welfare which can never be made good; because dissipated energy can never again be converted into free energy. It is the sin against the energetic imperative and has the qualities of unforgivability and irrevocability that have been ascribed to the sin against the Holy Ghost.

The rule of natural law is much more "humane" than that of man-made law, although infraction of the former is indeed punishable, in so much as the life of each individual is rendered more arduous and unpleasant in proportion to his aberration from the natural laws of vital phenomena. But these laws are not something imposed from without. They form part of the very texture of his being. He only needs to see himself rightly, to be impressed, not only with the inevitableness of natural laws, but with their desirability. The law that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points does not trouble us, since we do not have to go that way unless we prefer it. But we have every ground for satisfaction that we know this law and have since early childhood learned its practical application, for this knowledge enables us to reach our destination by the shortest path and so puts us in a position to act in harmony with the energetic imperative and to visit our friends without undue waste of energy!

Ostwald states that he learned not to force himself to work when he did not feel inclined toward it, and so accomplished much more in the end, because there was no waste of energy in overcoming the resistance of disinclination; and argues that the aim of our practical social ideals should be, so to arrange all labor as to conduct it in like manner. This would conduce to the greatest happiness of the greatest number, and all would be working to the greatest advantage, since working voluntarily.

The energetic imperative requires, in fact, that we should remove out of our lives and those of our fellow men every compulsion, every opposition to individual preference so far as is compatible in any way with living together.

To the scientific man, natural laws are not commands, but guideposts, whose purpose and use is to show him the way to a truer and