aloof from life. If they are indifferent, or discouraged
because they feel or think that they know that the situation is hopeless,
it may be proved that undue pessimism is as dangerous a "religion" as any
other blind creed. Indeed there is very little difference in kind between
the medieval fanaticism of the "holy inquisition," and modern intolerance
toward new ideas. All kinds of intellect must get together, for as long as
we presuppose the situation to be hopeless, the situation will indeed be
hopeless. The spirit of Human Engineering does not know the word
"hopeless;" for engineers know that wrong methods are alone responsible
for disastrous results, and that every situation can be successfully
handled by the use of proper means. The task of engineering science is not
only to know but to know how. Most of the scientists and engineers do not
yet realize that their united judgment would be invincible; no system or
class would care to disregard it. Their knowledge is the very force which
makes the life of humanity pulsate. If the scientists and the engineers
have had no common base upon which to unite, a common base must be
provided. To-day the pressure of life is such that we cannot go forward
without their coordinating guidance. But first there must be the desire to
act. One aim of this book is to furnish the required stimulus by showing
that Human Engineering will rescue us from the tangle of private opinions
and enable us to deal with all the problems of life and human society upon
a scientific basis.

If those who know why and how neglect to act, those who do not know will
act, and the world will continue to flounder. The whole history of mankind
and especially the present plight of the world show only too sadly how
dangerous and expensive it is to have the world governed by those who do
not know.

In paying the price of this war, we have been made to realize that even
the private individual can not afford to live wrapped up in his own life
and not take his part in public affairs. He must acquire the habit of
taking his share of public responsibility. This signifies that a very
great deal of very simple work, all pointing in the direction of a greater
work, must be done in the way of educating, not engineers and scientific
men only, but the general public to cooperate in establishing the practice
of Human Engineering in all the affairs of human society and life.

In writing this book I have had to wrestle with tre