Abstract
IN his Streatfield Memorial Lecture on October 15, entitled “Chemical Changes and Chances", Sir Martin Forster described some of his early experiences and the development of science in his early years which not only give a vivid and happy picture of Streatfield's personality but also afford a highly suggestive glimpse of the reactions of discoveries and personalities in the same period. He recalls being assured in November 1892 that all the most important discoveries in organic chemistry had been made, and then refers briefly to the way in which Nef, Claisen, Fischer, Pope and others rapidly enlarged our ideas of valency, intramolecular change, the configuration of sugars, the Walden inversion, etc. In discussing the reactions of science on industry, Sir Martin stresses the factor of the reaction of personality to background, and the rarity of finding a brain in which chemical and commercial instincts are co-equally powerful. He endorses Mr. Cronshaw's conclusion regarding the languishing of the dyestuffs industry in Great Britain and repudiates the unjustified con-demna+ion of the business man in which chemists sometimes too readily indulge. On the contrary, he asserts that, in his experience, business men take reasonable trouble to ascertain the facts with which they have to deal, and he cites examples of benefits which the world enjoys through their enterprise. JN the latter part of his lecture, Sir Martin discusses a number of problems arising out of the impact of science, and makes many shrewd comments on the attitude of chemists in such matters, which should stimulate a more rational attitude and wider scientific outlook in determining the conduct of the scientific worker as a citizen. In particular, he refers to the need for a practical attitude to the question of national defence if our liberty of thought and action is not to be lost, and of the need for more practical solicitude, enlightened by wider scientific outlook with increasing inter-communal tolerance and courage, to face ugly facts if the problem of productivity and distribution is to be solved. Equality of opportunity cannot be completed without equality of reception, which the human divergences render chimerical. The development of a community is the algebraic sum of self-development by its component members, although noteworthy material and ethical advance follow mainly from the deeds and ideals of its ablest members. The pursuit of science still does not liberate us from common human failings, and Sir Martin considers that one of our most serious problems is to prevent greatly increased comfort and opportunity for amusement from robbing our young people of self-reliance and ambition. On the solution of this problem the progress and happiness of our race will depend.
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Impacts of Science. Nature 140, 1055–1056 (1937). https://doi.org/10.1038/1401055c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1401055c0