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with respect to religion； ownership； and the distribution of
wealth。 But this need imply no constraint； nor even any peculiar
degree of tact； much less a moral obliquity。 It may confidently
be asserted； without fear of contradiction from their side； that
the official leaders in this province of academic research and
indoctrination are； commonly； in no way hindered from pushing
their researches with full freedom and to the limit of their
capacity； and that they are likewise free to give the fullest
expression to any conclusions or convictions to which their
inquiries may carry them。 That they are able to do so is a
fortunate circumstance； due to the fact that their intellectual
horizon is bounded by the same limits of commonplace insight and
preconceptions as are the prevailing opinions of the conservative
middle class。 That is to say； a large and aggressive mediocrity
is the prime qualification for a leader of science in these
lines； if his leadership is to gain academic authentication。
All this may seem too much like loose generality。 With a view
to such precision as the case admits； it may be remarked that
this province of academic science as habitually pursued； is
commonly occupied with questions of what ought to be done； rather
than with theories of the genesis and causation of the
present…day state of things； or with questions as to what the
present…day drift of things may be； as determined by the causes
at work。 As it does in popular speculation； so also in this
academic quasi…science； the interest centres on what ought to be
done to improve conditions and to conserve those usages and
conventions that have by habit been imbedded in the received
scheme of use and wont； and so have come to be found good and
right。 It is of the essence of popular speculations on this range
of topics that they are focussed on questions of use； that they
are of a teleological order； that they look to the expediency of
the observed facts and to their exploitation； rather than to a
scientific explanation of them。 This attitude； of course； is the
attitude of expediency and homiletics； not of scientific inquiry。
A single illustrative instance of the prevalence of this
animus in the academic social sciences may be in place。 It is
usual among economists； e。g。； to make much of the proposition
that economics is an 〃art〃 the art of expedient management of
the material means of life； and further that the justification of
economic theory lies in its serviceability in this respect。 Such
a quasi…science necessarily takes the current situation for
granted as a permanent state of things； to be corrected and
brought back into its normal routine in case of aberration； and
to be safeguarded with apologetic defence at points where it is
not working to the satisfaction of all parties。 It is a 〃science〃
of complaisant interpretations； apologies； and projected
remedies。
The academic leaders in such a quasi…science should be gifted
with the aspirations and limitations that so show up in its
pursuit。 Their fitness in respect of this conformity to the known
middle…class animus and apprehension of truth may； as it
expediently should； be considered when their selection for
academic office and rank is under advisement； but； provided the
choice be a wise one； there need be no shadow of constraint
during their incumbency。 The incumbent should be endowed with a
large capacity for work； particularly for 〃administrative〃 work；
with a lively and enduring interest in the 〃practical〃 questions
that fall within his academic jurisdiction； and with a shrewd
sense of the fundamental rightness of the existing order of
things； social； economic； political； and religious。 So； by and
large； it will be found that these accredited leaders of
scientific inquiry are fortunate enough not narrowly to
scrutinize； or to seek particular explanation of； those
institutional facts which the conservative common sense of the
elderly businessman accepts as good and final； and since their
field of inquiry is precisely this range of institutional facts；
the consequence is that their leadership in the science conduces
more to the stability of opinions than to the advancement of
knowledge。
The result is by no means that nothing is accomplished in
this field of science under this leadership of forceful
mediocrity； but only that； in so far as this leadership decides；
the work done lies on this level of mediocrity。 Indeed； the
volume of work done is large and of substantial value； but it
runs chiefly on compilation of details and on the scrutiny and
interpretation of these details with a view to their conformity
with the approved generalizations of the day before yesterday；
generalizations that had time to grow into aphoristic
commonplaces at a date before the passing generation of
businessmen attained their majority。
What has just been said of this academic leadership in the
social sciences； of course； applies only with due qualification。
It applies only in so far as the principles of competitive
enterprise control the selection of the personnel； and even then
only with exceptions。 There is no intention to depreciate the
work of those many eminent scholars； of scientific animus and
intellectual grasp； whose endeavours are given to this range of
inquiry。 Its application； indeed； is intended to reach no farther
than may serve to cover the somewhat tactful and quietistic
attitude of the moral sciences in the universities。 As they are
cultivated in the great seminaries of learning； these sciences
are commonly of a somewhat more archaic complexion than the
contemporary material sciences； they are less iconoclastic； have
a greater regard for prescriptive authority and authenticity； are
more given to rest their inquiry on grounds of expediency； as
contrasted with grounds of cause and effect。 They are content to
conclude that such and such events are expedient or inexpedient；
quite as often and as easily as that such are the causes or the
genetic sequence of the phenomena under discussion。 In short；
under this official leadership these sciences will have an
attitude toward their subject of inquiry resembling that taken by
the material sciences something like a century ago。
To the credit of this academic leadership in the social
sciences； then； it should be said that both the leaders and their
disciples apply themselves with admirable spirit to these
inquiries into the proper； expedient； and normal course of
events； and that the conclusions arrived at also shed