Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-02-11
SPENCER AND EVOLUTION,

What Herbert Spencer thinks on the
important question whether Theism Is
compatible with the theory of evolu-
ton, may be gathered from postscript
to part / of the final edition Of his
First Principles" In this he regrets
that he did not foresee that rejection
Of the distinction between the movable
and the unknowable would be held to
involve the rejection of evolution as an
account or explanation Of mere pheno-
mena, To remove this misapprehension
he says that evolution leaves theology
and metaphysics entirely on one side.
In recent number OF the Literary
Digest he is quoted as follows;
But an account Of the transforma-
tlon OF things Is simply an
orderly presentation Of facts; and the
Interpretation OF the facts 10 nothing
more than a statement of the ultimate
uniformltles they present the laws to
which they conform. Is the reader an
atheist? The exposition of these facts
will neither yield support to his belief
nor destroy IT, Is he a pantheistY The
phenomena and the infefences as now
to be set forth will not force on him
any incongruous implication. Does he
think that God is lmmanent throughout
all things, from concentrating nebule to
the thoughts Of poets? Then the theory
to be put before him contains no dis
proof of that view. Does he believe In
a Deity who has given unchanging laws
10 the universe? Then he Will find moth
ing at variance with his belief IN an
exposition of those laws and an account
OF the results"
The Digest further gives this synopsis
OF his statement:
Evolution, according to Mr.. Spencer
does not involve the abandonment OF
Theism in which respect he dissents
from the conclusions reached by Pro-
fessor Haeckel and the monists repre-
scented by the latter. The charge that
his philosophy is dualistc and fails 10
provide solution OF the riddle Of ex-
lstence Mr.. Spencer admits but he
holds dualism to be an organic necessity
or unavoidable fact. He says that as
intellect is framed by and for converse
WIN DftUDiHtHd ~ ANtAho W h'hN'iiNS
when we try TO use II for anything be-
yond phenomena. we find II impossi-
bic TO think Of the world as constituted
OF appearances. and 20 exclude all
thought OF the reality of which they are
Appearances but when intelligence
tries TO form n conception Of that reali-
". II fails. There Is a constant inabili-
~ TO pass It. The riddle therefore re-
mains unsolved. and we must be salts
fed. so far as science and philosophy
are concerned. with the persistent con-
sciousness that the reality exists,
though & IL impossible for US 70 COM
prehend it's nature, or It's exact relation
70 appearances"
These views on question OF great
moment by the foremost philosopher OF
the age, should receive due attention
by the class Of students and thinkers.
who seem TO have an idea that In the
theory OF evolution they have found u
way OF escape from a personal God In
the universe. Those best qualified TO
Judge do not so regard that theory Of
the creative processes. Whatever may
be true IN that mode OF accounting for
the visible phenomena OF nature, Is not
in contrast TO revealed truth. One truth
neves contradicts another.