Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 edition. Excerpt: ... chapter xix. Ethics. Professional Life The Gentleman--Truth, JusTice And Honor--Examples Of Successful Lives Brush Dolbear Gulcher--Lodge Pacinotti--Elihu Thompson--Conclusion. Every life has its specific rules of action in its relations to the rest of the world, which rules may be comprised under the heading of ethics. These are the rules of honor and propriety, which tell us what our profession calls on us to do in certain cases. Without preaching a sermon it is hard to speak of ethics. It must, however, be attempted. Perhaps in this connection the reader may be willing to go a step further and to accept as commentary on the ethics of professional life the early history of a few distinguished scientists. They can act as a conclusion to what precedes, and justify some of the views which have been taken. Examples could be multiplied indefinitely, for the biography of scientific men is full of such lives as those noted below. Be a gentleman. This is the first advice to be given to any one in any position in life. But here you are entering the profession which embraced or 180 truth and justice. embraces in its ranks such men as Faraday, Clerk Maxwell and Sir William Thomson. You are to be in their company hereafter, --act as if you were in the presence of the true "immortals," who have created the science of electricity. Be true. If you have for months thought over an idea and worked up some invention only to find that it is useless, abandon it. Do not try to deceive any one as to its value. Be truthful even to yourself, and do not let self-interest persuade you that anything is right which is not, or that anything has value which has not. Many a promoter of worthless enterprises satisfies his conscience by first getting it persuaded of the...
