New-York tribune., 1874-11-07

PROBLEMS IN THE SCIENCE OF SCIENCES.
And high alt these problems In the different sci
ences We may behold the great summary question
to the and goal OF the sciences themselves AS
to their logical processes their historical laws ana
| their ultimate limits. On the one side we have the
decisions OF Bacon, D'Alembert. Comte, Mil. ana
Spencer that positive science T. restricted TO facts anu
their laws without inqnirng into their frst ana hnal
causes that the advanced sciences have histofi
cay reached tins positive state only by excuding an
inquiry into causes and thus outgrowing ana destroyng
theology and and that their dnal goal
sheer nescence or the recognition OF an ukno"'So n
| the other side have the opinions OF Tertuillan.
AQuinas CALVIN and Butler that The uDknOwaDie 70 nan
IL revealabc by God through miraculoy altesteu com
nnncaons IL been the function OF sucd reye-
atlon TO remedy human ignorance ana expose Iaso n
science, and that ultimately all earthly science ior tue
individual will be lose In beatinc vsion and for the race
will be eclipSed by the millennia iIsat oil he"
such then is the present state OF the sciences While
they embrace Inego bodies OF exact kno" icdge' 700
| even the lmaginatipn to depict they also present
bcwildering mass OF unsoyed problems vita opposite
hypothesis aud dogmas respecting them whlch nave
been held by the mIster-spirs OF former times ana
which sull engross the leading ntelecs OF our day:
Renewing the remark with wich tIis paprr 0esn' & "a,
the has been simply to state these questions VITA
all fairness and discuss them shall now submit
deductions from the survey winch seem almost 10
| lie upon the surface In full view OF all parties
PHILOSOPHICAL NATURE OF THESE PROBLEMS
In the first place. 1t plain that these questions are
purely scientific They have not been 50 treated in
past ages and they treated at the present
day. No competent scientific authority has yet pro-
nounced upon them Tho Feench Acai iemy has not de-
cided them. The British Association has not decided
| them; the different Italian German and American
spontaneous curcurrencc OF scientific men respect
ing them such as that which attends all observed facts.
ascertained laws and proved theories, 1t cannot be
claimed that the great nams in science have ever pecn,
are nOw arrdyed against the religious view OF them
And 1t is not too much say that they never be
decided by any merely scientific process The origin
and destiny OF nebue suns and planets Of ulau WIN
his individual social and religious interests OF the nn
through all It's and phases, are surely pro-
and laws be fully within the revision
and provision OF SCIENCE but must sooner or later as
most loyal vOtares now cOnfessng lead her 10
that Of the movable where her torch becomes
quenched III the Unknowabe and she has no more light
In the second place, It is also clear that these
in times. they are treated to-day Tie
religious authorities which have yentured to pronounce
upon them have settled them The Papal Syllabus
has not settled them. The Evangelical Alliance has not
settled them. Tle different ecclesiastical councils have
not settled them There not such general agree
ment OF religious people concerning them as mat whicn
belongs TO the CHIEF essentials OF the Christina iath II
cannot be held that the great names IN religion have
always been or are now joined together AGAINST inc
scientific view OF them Aud it is safe to that by no
purely religious method can they ever be settled Inc
attempt OF all churches and sects combined through any
under prcense of infaiibe guidance and in contempt
OF all other means OF knowledge to show how the heay
would simply remand religion to the superstition aud
bigotry OF the dark and length her most de
points where 1t should shine most brightly.
In the third place. it Will follow that these questions
being partly scientific aud PATTY religious. are strictly
philosophical, and should be treated by all parties
That they partly scientific and partly religious Il
fact that through all the past. From their very
origin they have involved both clements The history
neither could be writer without that Of the other
The successive conflicts and alliances OF tho scientific
and religious classes at the great epochs of civzaton
among the Sophists, among the Fathers, among the
Schoolmen among the RefOrmers have been the very
rhythm OF human progress. There Is scarcely dogma
whcn has not served as an hypothesis in science, as
scarcely hypothesis which has not been used
dogma religion. Tue great names III each. or at
least masters IN botn, have striyen TO keep
them together rather than 10 drive them apart Plato
anu OrgeI, Augustine and Ergeua, Albertus and Roger
Bacon Francis Bacon and Butter irou to axe have
Illustrated their essential oneness could be shown
indeed minds both sides nave long per
ceiyed that their peculiar processes and eXgences
them face 10 face in the mutual recognition
OF movable facts which the one must discover aud Ot
unknowable realities which the other must reveal ana
the ground between Them formed By their ln-
tersecling spheres instead OF narrowing has been en-
argng with the lapse OF time and the growth OF knowl
edge. until now 1t has become not merely conspicuous
arena in the philosophical world, Dut even popular
sign OF the tunes.
ILLUSTRATION FROM PROFESSOR TYNDALIs ADDRESS.
OF this fact there could scarcely have been
striking proof than the recent brilliant aud lucid al
dress of Prof Tyndal from the chair OF the British AS
sociation-an address widely and justly praised. we'll
for the pure races OF its style for the vgOr accue
ness, and breadth Of its thought. the elevation.
courage and candor OF ito tone That the questions
whchit breaches could be so discussed and RECEIVED
scientific body, would be iull vndicition. were any
needed of fitness such IL right
should be brought here II only they held under the
dry light OF pure science within the puryew OF paoso
problem of problems at the present hour; aud that,
not merely that may yield reasonable satisfaction
to a giOus sentiment III the emotional nature"
with this science may have little to do out also. and
chiefly, that may meet logical demand OF the
derstandlng GROWING want OF the Intellect OF
Perhaps the true phlloopnca nature or the problems
which have been stated could not be better illustrated,
rhetorical deyice 80 skifuiv employed in that paper
disciple OF Lucretius, 1t VIII be remembered, sup
posed to engaged Bishop Butler III encounter
OF OF the chapters In his immortal Anal
oGy the combatants having been armed with the added
knowledge
dare argument OF mysteries IL Is easy 10 paint
portraits ourselves when hold the pencil aud
there always risk of unfairness In speaking for
another But shall try to avoid such dangers my
predecessor has done. by simply fancyng the two dis
had reached. and allowing them proceed
with it, hearing step further toward us logical
Lucretius shall have the last word
THE ARGUMENT OF BISHOP BUTLER RESUMED.
Before We leave this subject OF living agents most
noble Lucretan beg to remind you that there is
voved in it very interesting question which you have
scarcely touched upon. You will remember my
whole argument had reference much to the nature
of the living agent or SELF as to its destiny was try
ing to prove Dductively from observed facts that
aGy other scientific provision attempted under like
ditlOns. Beginning with those two great presumpt0ns
or high probabilities upon which all positive science
proceeds, the uniformity ana continuance OF naturc
argued that shall continue TO live hereafter unless
stroys and against this mere imaginary presump
ton l brought forward various scientific pre-
suc Ss the iolowps That Seash
you affirm the dissolution OF your atoms then
bulk may be small that you cannot be dis
solved, like that inhnesmal germ out OF which has
developed your whole present self. together with
most OF your atoms have dissolved and replaced
every scyeD ten or twenty years. not merely bones It's
deaths: That large portions even Of your nervous atoms
might be dissolved without being eplaced and still
With bTt Ialf Of Your prain that t1ronr ali these DIS
solutions that hidden self OF yours picture 1t as you WILL