Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-09-24
The New Materialism-Pro Tyndau.

TENDER.
The New Materialism-PrO Tyndau.
In his inaugural address before the
British Association Prof. Tyndall has
dealt with deeper and grayer problems
than 1t has been the custom of his pre-
deceSsOrs in the Presidential chair to
handle. He has attempted to find the
ultimate point to which reason may pur-
sue its investigations into the sources of
natural phenomena, and in doing so has
invaded territory which has been COM
monty included within the domain of
metaphysics. 1t is a notable evidence of
the eXpansiyeness of modern science that
the early Greek speculatiOns about the
origin of being, which not many years
ago were regarded by physicists as being
conspicuous instances of waste Of in
teIlectual power upon subjects incapable
OF scientific demonstration, should be
thought worthy Of the close and critical
exposition of a man like Prof Tyndall
The President of the British Association
did not, indeed, go back quite as far as
ThaleS, who is the connecting link be-
tween the nameless sages Of Egypt and
the beginnings Of philOsophiC thought in
Greece. But he does link the physical
philosophy of to-day with the atomic
theory OF Democritus, the materialiSm of
Epicurus and the exposition of the phil
osophy Of the latter by his great disciple
the Roman poet LuCretius. In fact,
Prof. Tyndall will have it that after
more than 1000 years Of restless and al
most continuous investigation physical
science finds itself once more face to
face with the problems which engrossed
the attention of the men who, historical
ly speaking, made the earliest contribu-
tiOns to its discoveries.
Prof. Tyndall attacks these questions
with characteristic boldness, but beyond
making somewhat vehement defense
OF the right Of physical science to deal
with the ultimate problems of being he
can hardly be said to have robbed them
Of single difficulty. What will be con
sldered the most startling part Of the ad-
dress is the following personal ayowal
which it contains:
" Abandoning all disguise, the con-
fessiOn l feel bound to make before you
is that prolong the vision backward
across the boundary of the experimental
evidence, and discern in that matter
which we in our ignorance, and notwith-
standing our prOfessed reverence for its
Creator, have hitherto covered with op-
probrium the promise. and potency of
every form and quality of life"
This is certainly close approach to
the Lucretian maxim that mature is
seen to do all things spontaneously of
herself, without the intermeddling of
the gods" But Prof. Tyndan is too close
a reasoner not to perceive and too fair
minded man not to point out the place
where the materialistic philosophy
breaks down. After the utmost prolonga-
ton, intellectual vision rests upon the
original uncompOunded atoms of oxygen,
hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and what not,
which represent the furthest analysis
of matter which science has reached.
Let the mind set about forming an intel
ligible conception of how, out of any
possible combination of such dead atoms,
can be formed the living, sentient brain.
The issue of consciousness from the
clash Of atoms" is indeed the mystery to
which no mechanical combinations lend
us key. A result which shows US in
the compound something which was not
in the material parts throws US back,
even on the principles Of rigidly scien-
tifc method upon the unknown Power
in whose creative act we must seek alike
for the origin of our primOrdial atoms
and the mysterious energy which has
clothed them with sensation and thought.
AS Prof Tyndall remarks, " there is no
very rank materialism here" though we
may question the utility of placing be-
tween reason and the Deity any such
arbitrary symbol as E" a cosmical life in
VIII of JNI, 81
tuTe, as well as those of the human mind
have their unsearchable roots" The
professor touches more philOsophic
ground when he says, little further on,
that while we can trace the development
of a nervous system, and perceive its
steadfast relations with the parallel phe
nomena of sensation and thought, Fwe
try to soar into vacuum the moment we
seek to comprehend the connection be-
tween them"
On the whole, Prof TyndalPs "mate-
rialism" is of a decidedly reverent type.
however much it may be likely in the
hands of half-instructed and presumptu-
Gus eXpositors to be made to appear as
denial of the spiritual clement the uni
verse The man who stands in the front
rank Of modern physicists may be par
NOACu IL uc Is us pCSCA ~ OfCIIdIt lILe
achievements which may be expected
from scientific method when directed to
questions that lay somewhat beyond its
pale. He may also claim the apology of
enthusiasm when he gives the mild
light of science" a higher place among
civilizing and elevating agencies than,
judged from past experience, it can fair
ly claim But whatever be his views
about the true place of revealed truth in
the scheme of the universe, we cannot re
gard as dangerous foe to religion the
thinker who utters such maXims as these
" Mr.. Buckle sought to detach intellect
ual achievement from moral force He
gravely erred, for without moral force to
whip il into action the achievements of
the intellect would be poor indeed" I
would set forth equally the memorable
advance of mans understanding in the
path of knowledge and the unquencha-
BILE claims of his emotional nature which
the understanding can never satisfy. >
NelC York Times.