The instinct of workmanship, and the state of industrial artsVeblen, Thorstein
Philosophy
The instinct of workmanship, and the state of industrial arts
Veblen, Thorstein
Industrial arts -- History; Industries -- History; Technology -- History; Workmanship -- History
Even more to the same purpose, as showing the same insidious facility
of anthropomorphic interpretation, are the bona-fide constructions of
scientists and pseudo-scientists running on the imputation of purpose
and deliberation to explain the behaviour of animals. Indeed, at the
worst, and still in good faith, it may go so far as to impute some sort
of quasi-conscious striving on the part of plants.[44] As good and
temperate an instance as may be had of such anthropomorphic imputation
of workmanlike gifts is afforded, for instance, by the work of Romanes
on the behaviour of animals.[45] It goes to show how very plausibly
some of the lower animals may be credited with these spiritual
aptitudes and how far and well the imputation may be made to serve
the scientist’s end. So plausible, indeed, is this anthropomorphism
as to disarm even the scepticism of the trained sceptic. It will also
appear in the later course of this inquiry that anthropomorphism, and
especially the imputation of workmanship, has borne a much greater part
in the work of the scientists than the members of that craft would like
to avow; so that the scientific use of the anthropomorphic fancy is by
no means a unique distinction of Romanes and the large group or school
of biologists of which his work is typical; nor does the presence of
this bias in their work by any means strip it of scientific value.
In point of fact, it seems to touch the substance of their objective
results much less seriously than might be apprehended.
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