The relation between actuarial and scientific matters has frequently been investigated and there are various ways of looking at their interconnexions. We can ask, among other questions, whether our activities as actuaries entitle us to consider ourselves to be scientists in any sense of the word. This is the context in which the question has been debated in the Students' Society (cf. ‘Are we Scientists?’ by W. G. Bailey & H. W. Haycocks, J.S.S. Vol. VI, p. 93). The feeling on that occasion was that the answer must be in the negative, but even if our everyday activities are not strictly scientific it could still be claimed that there exists a set of correlated topics to be called ‘actuarial science’ which is at the actuary's disposal and which is kept alive by contributions of individual actuaries.

German scholars have asserted the existence of a ‘Science of Assurance’ which, according to them, comprises and combines into an organic whole those portions of all other sciences which have some bearing on (not necessarily Life-) Assurance. We are, in this country, less prone to create abstract notions by definition, but even if we do not see any merit in ascribing a scientific status to our profession, we can ask whether there exist branches of science which have something to offer to us in our capacity as actuaries. It will be agreed that two sciences in the wider sense of the word are in some way connected with our work, viz. Economics and Mathematics. Our profession can claim historic connexions with both and members of our community have proved themselves competent in them. Should we encourage, and even extend, this connexion?