Idealism and Art in Engineering—Address at the Annual Convention, in San Francisco, Cal., September 16th, 1915

The brook of scientific and industrial development, so tiny at the beginning of the last century, has steadily grown deeper and stronger; new tributaries—the developments of scientific and industrial specialties—have added new volumes, until at the beginning of this new century we find it a mighty stream, deep with thought, broad with liberality, and symbolical of modern scientific and industrial development, flowing in the direction of human progress. This stream, which scientists have done much to strengthen and direct, it is said, has washed away the old landmarks of idealism and art. Sad, indeed, if this were true, but I think the foundations of both are laid too deep to be scoured out even by the flood of which I have spoken. Let us examine dispassionately, and as thoroughly as is consistent with brevity, the serious charges which many still bring against science, pure and applied.