The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-01-29

too, farcWeil!'
The Force Behind Nature.
From an Essay read before the Muscatinr la Acade,
OF Science by Rev. j. II. Barnard.l
Why, 1t may be asked, use such phraseology
| if we assume to DISCUSS subjects from the
standpoint Of physical science and that liz
within the realm of experimental evidence
Does not the form of expression, at outset
indicate that line of thought proposed leads
us out of and beyond the limits Of scientific
investigation into the field of pure specula
ton and theory? Why talk about things tina,
are invisible and intangible, that IN the nature
of the case cannot be subjected to experiment
and do not fall within the range OF observa
ton? Who can go beyond nalurey Who Can
penetrate the drcdRd that lie behind the visi
HE universe and the material phenomena by
which we are surrounded? What right have
we TO postulate anything about the unseen
and unknown? Why deal with such a sup
posed force or substance at all?
The ann Of science is to discover the secrets
of nature, and it does not always employ it.
self about things that fall within the range OF
sense and experiment. Molecular Science"
for instance, IN the language of Prot. Clerk
Maxwell, its ab'est expounder, "is one OF
those branches Of study that deal with things
invisible and impcrceptible by our senses,
and which cannot be subject to direct expert
ment"
If the origin of life be discovered, the secret
of nature is discovered. For life force we be-
lieve to be the great originating. organizing,
forming and unfolding force of the universe.
Is this life force IN nature? Is there an inner
ent potency IN matter that is sufficient and
the sole cause of the existing cosmos?
1t is surprising fact and worthy of special
notice, that with he advance of modern
science in all directions there has been a DIR II
backward toward the old materlalistic phios.
Ophy represented by Democritus OF Abdera,
Eplcurus and others, whose names are often
mentioned by our most distinguished Swans,
This retrospective, if not retrograde move,
ment, vas perhaps first formally anticipated
by Hobbies in his exclusive doctrine OF Sensa.
ton.
He was followed by Hartley with his theory
of Vibrations. He 10y Prlestly, carried out
still further the idea tina. thought and scnsa-
ton are the same thing Then Hume came
along with his new and misckievous inter
probation of cause. In France Condillac ap-
peared with his theory of Transformed Sensa-
tons, although referring the origin of the
world To theistc source THIS middle
ground, however, was soon abandoned, and in
the system of Baron d'Ilolbach, who affirmed
matter and motion to be eternal, and that the
soul Is the result of our corporal organiZa-
ton, an extreme form OF materialism was
reached. The Atheisllc Philosophy was fully
formulated by Comte IN his Positive Philoso.
ply, with It's denial of soul and efficient
causes, and its doctrine of Sequence, IN which
he prolongs animal physiology to Il science
rivaling II. "prccsion and nationality that of
malhematlc science itself" His theory of
development, of the passage of the race and of
each individual through three distinct stages,
the theologc, the metaphysical and the posi-
tive, from fetch worship through polytheism
to m0nOtheism, Is a groundless thing not
'orne out by facts. Prot. Huxley aifirms that
he contradlcts himself throughout rs to this
assumed law of progress and fundamental
principle of his philosophy. He did not
prove that the Positive science, that physical
aw is the organic principle of social lite.
He did not succeed in confounding nina with
matter Of banishing efficient cause from the
world.
But does thoughtiorcc reside in matter ?
Is it form or physical force? What Is the
true idea Oi causaiOn?
Prof Carpenter affirms that when force, the
power that moves, is hid from sight, there is
sull left basis for proceeding further in our
psychical experience. That Is in so far rs we
nave any personal knowledge of the origin of
force it is connected with voliton and so with
design, intellect The force generated in q
steam engine Is put in operation by an iDtelli.
gent maker or master of the machine. The
physical force generated in the body, though
derived from the oxidation of food, 10 put in
action Ey the individual personality. so we
may fairly infer that the forces IN nature are
lControll"d by ana have their origin in power
or personality outside of and above nature.
The distinguished naturalist, Wallace, atfrms
the more consistent belief to be that nature as
an entity distinct from force does not exist,
and that force is the product of mind that the
whole universe is the product of one Supreme
Intelligence.
We believe in order of nature, and for that
reason we believe in an author of nature. We
believe in evolution, and because We DO we
believe in great supreme evolver. 1t is more
in harmony with The hest results of modern
science to be thelst than to be matcrialist.
In the presence of that wODdrOus trinity, car
bonc acid, water and ammonia as accounting
for all the forms of life that we see, the doc
trine Of The Christian God loses all lis mystery.
The matcrialism OF EpiCurus palcd and dis.
appeared before the higher philosophy of
Plato and Aristotle. And the maleriallstic
science Of to day, however enthusiastic some
of lis advocates may be, Will, we are per
suadcdcd, give way to the higher, grandcr
conception of creative power anc provi-
dcnCe; and ere long men everywhere Will
look beyond the mere process of nature, be-
yOnd functions and structures and forms, be
yond iiremist and protOplasm and molecule,
to the maker and master of the universe.
Distress for Rent.