The British Association

Abstract

THE leading article in NATURE of September 16 brings out very clearly what many of us feel to be an increasing difficulty at the meetings, not only of the British Association, but also of most other scientific societies. In fact, it is scarcely an exaggeration to say that members sit through the bulk of meetings and listen to the majority of papers out of mere courtesy. Only in rare instances, when the paper read happens to touch the listener's special line of work, can one take an intelligent interest in the proceedings. Even then it is wise to wait until a paper is in print before forming an opinion. Some good-natured person, however, often sacrifices himself and offers a few trite, and usually irrelevant, remarks which pass muster for a discussion. Under these conditions one is tempted to ask oneself what real good is achieved by such meetings and in what way they can help the progress of research. I admit this state of things is far worse in some subjects than in others; in mathematics it exists in an aggravated form. On the other hand, I have rarely attended a meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society without being stimulated and interested. But this defect is found, in varying degrees, at every scientific meeting, and it grows steadily worse as years go by.