Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1882-01-10
THEORY OF THE WILL,

AT the december meeting OF the VIC
toria Philosophical Institute of England
which took place at its house, Adel
phia Terrace, London, the Secretar,
Captain F. Petrie, announced that this
Society, founded to investigate philoso
phical and scientific questions, espec-
tally those said to initiate against the
truth of Revelation-had enrolled 12e
members during the year, Of which So
were resident in America and the Colo.
MES, the total number of it's members
was now $40; it was further stated that
this year many of its American mem
bers had combined and founded "The
American Institute of Christian Philoso-
ply" Society to carry out the same
objects and organization in America,
and for that purpose it had adopted the
same objects and whole scheme,
but that while taking this step it
founders had decided to keep up thei r
individual connection with the Insti-
tute in England. After this paper
was read on Mr.. Herbert Spencer's
" Theory of the Will"
The author showed that Mr. Spancer's
denied all freedom of will,
and made elaboration to be only the
mental aspect of the commingling of
In the time of indie
cision these were colliding one against
but when decisian had been
reached the strongest nerve-strean had
made head against all the rest, and was
flowing unobstructed on its way. Such
according to Mr.. Spencer, was the pas
sage of elaboration into decis ion, of
hesitancy into violation. Manifestly
this set aside all freedom, made the
whole process merely mechanical, and
As Mr.. Spencer allowed, was the mega
ion Of moral obligation. The paper
criticised Mr.. Spencer's argument, and
that Mr.. Spencer, from first
@ last, had only made one bold asser-
ion, and had repeated it many times,
)ut had given not one iota of proof.
Thirteen of his arguments-all he had
carefully examined,
md shown to be nothing more than con-
ident assertion. They were classified
md replied to as follows First, Mr.
spencer said that the real proposition
involved in the dogma Of free-will" is
that every one is at liberty to desire
r not to DESIRE" Against this Kant
nd Hamilton were quoted, as admitting
hat we must desire, but holding that
ree-will can restrain desire. The
martyrs could not but desire to
void the flames but their sub
me will held in control their lower
allure and compelled it te obey the law
f Righteousness. Secondly, Mr.. Spen-
err simply assumed that the will had no |
ontrol or power of free choice, which
vas the very thing he was bound to !
rove. He next called it can illusion"
0 think "that at each moment the ego
) something more than the aggregate
{ feelings and ideas and nascent which
len exists" Evidently this was con-
substance with phenomena,
etween which elsewhere he carefully
iscriminated, and it was making the
go only a succession of states, and de-
ying all substance of mind, which was
ding contrary to one of the structural
octrines ofhis philosophy. Mr.. Herbert
pencer had frequently stated that the
go was nothing else than the state of
passing at the moment,
ut this statement was never sought to
e proved, indeed he contradicted him
elf, inasmuch as he spoke of ''the sub
,ct of such psychical changes" Now
subject" is that which underlies phe-
but he had said the ego was
My phenomena, so that his subject
as only hypostatiZed zero. He next
lggested that the will seems to be free
ecause it's actions are incalculable. This
as shown to be only an ad captdndun
rgument, for the flight of birds through
lie air seems to be unframed intelli-