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Idle Curiosity； and the Instinct of Workmanship。（2*）
In this generic trait the modern learning does not depart
from the rule that holds for the common run。 Men instinctively
seek knowledge； and value it。 The fact of this proclivity is well
summed up in saying that men are by native gift actuated with an
idle curiosity； 〃idle〃 in the sense that a knowledge of things
is sought； apart from any ulterior use of the knowledge so
gained。（3*） This； of course； does not imply that the knowledge so
gained will not be turned to practical account。 In point of fact；
although the fact is not greatly relevant to the inquiry here in
hand； the native proclivity here spoken of as the instinct of
workmanship will unavoidably incline men to turn to account； in a
system of ways and means； whatever knowledge so becomes
available。 But the instinct of workmanship has also another and
more pertinent bearing in these premises； in that it affords the
norms； or the scheme of criteria and canons of verity； according
to which the ascertained facts will be construed and connected up
in a body of systematic knowledge。 Yet the sense of workmanship
takes effect by recourse to divers expedients and reaches its
ends by recourse to varying principles； according as the
habituation of workday life has enforced one or another scheme of
interpretation for the facts with which it has to deal。
The habits of thought induced by workday life impose
themselves as ruling principles that govern the quest of
knowledge； it will therefore be the habits of thought enforced by
the current technological scheme that will have most （or most
immediately） to say in the current systematization of facts。 The
working logic of the current state of the industrial arts will
necessarily insinuate itself as the logical scheme which must； of
course； effectually govern the interpretation and generalizations
of fact in all their commonplace relations。 But the current state
of the industrial arts is not all that conditions workmanship。
Under any given institutional situation； and the modern scheme
of use and wont； law and order； is no exception；workmanship is
held to a more or less exacting conformity to several tests and
standards that are not intrinsic to the state of the industrial
arts； even if they are not alien to it； such as the requirements
imposed by the current system of ownership and pecuniary values。
These pecuniary conditions that impose themselves on the
processes of industry and on the conduct of life； together with
the pecuniary accountancy that goes with them the price system
have much to say in the guidance and limitations of workmanship。
And when and in so far as the habituation so enforced in the
traffic of workday life goes into effect as a scheme of logic
governing the quest of knowledge； such principles as have by
habit found acceptance as being conventionally salutary and
conclusive in the pecuniary conduct of affairs will necessarily
leave their mark on the ideals； aims； methods and standards of
science and those principles and scholarship。 More particularly；
standards of organization； control and achievement； that have
been accepted as an habitual matter of course in the conduct of
business will； by force of habit； in good part reassert
themselves as indispensable and conclusive in the conduct of the
affairs of learning。 While it remains true that the bias of
workmanship continues to guide the quest of knowledge； under the
conditions imposed by modern institutions it will not be the
naive conceptions of primitive workmanship that will shape the
framework of the modern system of learning； but rather the
preconceptions of that disciplined workmanship that has been
instructed in the logic of the modern technology and
sophisticated with much experience in a civilization in whose
scheme of life pecuniary canons are definitive。
The modern technology is of an impersonal； matter…of…fact
character in an unexampled degree； and the accountancy of modern
business management is also of an extremely dispassionate and
impartially exacting nature。 It results that the modern learning
is of a similarly matter…of…fact； mechanistic complexion； and
that it similarly leans on statistically dispassionate tests and
formulations。 Whereas it may fairly be said that the personal
equation once in the days of scholastic learning was the
central and decisive factor in the systematization of knowledge；
it is equally fair to say that in later time no effort is spared
to eliminate all bias of personality from the technique or the
results of science or scholarship。 It is the 〃dry light of
science〃 that is always in request； and great pains is taken to
exclude all color of sentimentality。
Yet this highly sterilized； germ…proof system of knowledge；
kept in a cool； dry place； commands the affection of modern
civilized mankind no less unconditionally； with no more
afterthought of an extraneous sanction； than once did the highly
personalized mythological and philosophical constructions and
interpretations that had the vogue in the days of the schoolmen。
Through all the mutations that have passed over this quest of
knowledge； from its beginnings in puerile myth and magic to its
（provisional） consummation in the 〃exact〃 sciences of the current
fashion； any attentive scrutiny will find that the driving force
has consistently been of the same kind； traceable to the same
proclivity of human nature。 In so far as it may fairly be
accounted esoteric knowledge； or a 〃higher learning；〃 all this
enterprise is actuated by an idle curiosity； a disinterested
proclivity to gain a knowledge of things and to reduce this
knowledge to a comprehensible system。 The objective end is a
theoretical organization。 a logical articulation of things known；
the lines of which must not be deflected by any consideration of
expediency or convenience； but must run true to the canons of
reality accepted at the time。 These canons of reality； or of
verity； have varied from time to time； have in fact varied
incontinently with the passage of time and the mutations of
experience。 As the fashions of modern time have come on；
particularly the later phases of modern life； the experience that
so has shaped and reshaped the canons of verity for the use of
inquiring minds has fallen more and more into the lines of
mechanical articulation and has expressed itself ever more
unreservedly in terms of mechanical stress。 Concomitantly the
canons of reality have taken on a mechanistic complexion； to the
neglect and