Arizona republican., 1903-03-09
UNIVERSE CREATED FOR MAN
Alfred Russell Wallace, English scien-
fist, States Startling Theory.

DR.. Alfred Russell Wallace, the emf
inent scientist who was credited by
Darwin himself with having discovered
the theory of natural selection. has
again centered the attention of the sci
entific world upon himself by a re-
markable article in the "FortnightIy
Review for March. In this he ad-
vances the startling theory that the
earth, or solar system, is the physical
center of the stellar system, and adds
that the supreme end and purpose OF
this vast universe is the production and
development of the living soul in the
perishable body of man. AS cabled
from London, these are some of DR..
Wallace's conclusions:
1.-The results so far reached by as
tronmers as the direct, logical conclu-
sion from the mass of facts accumulat-
ed by means of powerful instruments of
research, which have given us the new
astronomy, is that our sun is one of the
central orbs of a globular star cluster
and that this star cluster occupies near
ly the central position in the exact
aware that any writer has taken the
next step and, combining these two
conclusions, has stated definitely that
our sun is thus shown to occupy a po-
sition very near if not actually at the
center of the whole visible universe,
and therefore, in all probability, in the
center of the whole material universe.
This conclusion no doubt is a start
ling one, and all kinds of objections will
be made against it, yet I am not ac-
quainted with any great inductive re-
suit of modern science that has arrived
at so gradually, so legitimately, by
means of SO vast a mass of precise
measurements and observations and by
such wholly unprejudiced workers. 1t
may not be proved with minute accu-
racy, as regards the actual mathemat-
ical center. That is not of the least i'm
portance, but that it is substantially
correct there seems to be no good rea-
son to doubt, and 1 therefore hold it
right and proper to have it so stated
and Professionally accepted until further
accumulations of evidence may show
TO what extent IL requires IilOQlACd-
ton
1.-The three startling facts that we are
in the center of cluster of suns, and
that the cluster is situated not only
precisely on the plane CT the milky way
but also centrally in that plane, can
hardly be looked upon as chance coin
cidences without any significance in re-
lation to the eliminating fact that the
planet so situated has developed hui
mainly. OF course, the relation here
pointed out may be a true relation Of
cause and effect and yet have arisen as
the result of one in thousand million
chances occurring during almost infin-
lite time: but, on the other hand, those
thinkers may be right, holding that
the universe is a manifestation of mind
and that the orderly development OF
living souls supplies an adequate rela-
ton why such a universe should have
been called into existence, believe that
we ourselves are it's sole and sufficient
result and that nowhere else than near
the central position in the universe
which we occupy could that result
have been attained
Commenting upon the Geographic
|
the Fortnightly Review, Prof. Garrett
P. Serviss, the we'll known astronomer
furnished the following observations tC
the San Francisco Examiner:
DIR. Alfred Russell Wallace, the
great English naturalist who develop
ed the fundamental idea of Darwinisn
ahead of Darwin, and who has long
been one of the foremost opponents OF
evolution, has thrown a brand into the
smoldering fire of religio- scientific dis
cussion which is likely to stir up q
world wide blaze.
DIR. Wallace's amazing views are
contained in an article just published II
England on Mans Place in the Uni
verse This earth, he says in substance
is the very center of the creation, and
the development of the soul of man
was the chief end and purpose fol-
which the universe was made.
HE appeals to astronomy to support
his claim that the earth, as member
of the solar system, is the physical CEN
! ter of the universe.
HE throws overheard all the results
of the long series of discoveries and
speculations which, since the days Of
|
telligent people that the earth is 6
most insignificant abode of life in COM
parison with the almost infinite multi
tude of greater bodies that surround
it at various distances in space.
And in place of this he maintains
that the earth is really the most imp.
ortant of all the celestial orbs, and we
it's inhabitants. the most important 81
all created beings.
Then he undertakes to show, alsc
upon astronomical grounds, that MOI
only is the universe limited in extent
but that the sun. which serves as 4
candle for the earth. instead of being
one of the secondary members of the
starry host, is. in fact. a central orb II
a globular star cluster, which occupies
a position very near the true center OF
| the visible universe.
"And DR.. Wallace proceeds to pile ur
argument upon argument in support OF
the astonishing proposition that al