The subject-matter of science is virtually unrestricted, in the region of the observable. But it is mainly concerned with systems (the atom, the solar system, the biosphere, etc.) which are more or less isolated from outside interference. The framework of its method is functional causality, that is, the relation of cause and effect is expressed as the regular connection between successive states of an isolated system (see Matter II). The features which characterize a system are restricted to measurable…