The central thread of this book traces the trajectory of the visionary outlook I have called the scientific spirit of American humanism, the notion that there is more to science than simply the knowledge it provides us. The very phrase scientific spirit, which was used by humanists themselves, suggests this point of view. It indicates that science and scientific ideas are tied to broad human concerns. Science is not just descriptive; it can have prescriptive aspects to it as well. There are moral codes and ideals embedded in the very core of what it means to look at the world from a scientific perspective, and these can give us guidance and suggestions about who we are and how we might live our lives.
from Stephen P. Weldon, The Scientific Spirit of American Humanism, p. 11
