The Washington herald., 1907-06-02

the evidences Of purpose in the ancient
cosmogony. In the last analysis even the
most optimistic philosopher has to admit
that in the cosmic order we cannot hope
10 find these qualities which we regard as
the highest and noblest among men. Ma
ture is not wise. It IS not loving, II is not
economical. Il Is not moral II is haunt-
ing in its unchastty, shameless in its i'm
publicity; its prodigality is not so much
reckless as it is riotous. Its cruelty is
savage, and.
Rec IN tooth and claw,
Witt ayug shr!lks against his creed
And so Mr.. Carl Snyder recognizes that
the task of explanation is beyond the
philosophers-whatr remains Is 20 describe
and that is the purpose Of this work. He
says
A little while ago f. seemed as we might per
Ccivr the obscure workings cf a Constructive I'M
pulse iu the scheme of the world IFS limitations
cluIug MS IL seemed to promise much But un-
less ur present conceptions are radically caHs o.
the idea Of uncuding growth and expansion is an
illusion as If On entering The car Ct some glLluu,
/ Feuis wheel and slowly lifted from tbe earth, we
should believe that ue should go rising 20 the ui-
| t.urr-- reaches 0f the ssy. The complement oi
evolution is dly0luticu. and On the unfolding oi
worlds from primal Uehula, their slow decay ana
final resolution into ufbu'l again. we can al pres
crt perceive tUt the csassIess turning H a mighty
wheel.
/ The book goes on 10 give "a historical
survey p clear and sinvlr Frsli5h--wlth
more or less technical language. of course
of the growth of our knowledge of the
/ world from its simplest beginnings 90 the
newest and most far-reachjng specula-
/ tious of the present tima; that is, from
| the idea Of "a fiat earth that was the cen
/ trail thing I'm the world. to the conception
/ Of a universe of hundreds of millions oi
/ suns and solar systems more or less llks
/ our own Il is both history and The
philosophy OF history, and the question i
/ is designed 20 attempt 70 answer Is
/ "WEat conception can we now frame as
( % thc scheme and purpose OF the world
/ into which we are bornt
! OF course. philosophy such as this
/ is meat only for strong men. II take.
/ little account of religion, none 40 all q"
/ revelation or divine inheritance. II show,
/ iu "a perfectly cold-blooded way that th'
history of the earth takes small account
/ OF the individual human life. Says tE'
/ author:
/ u i5 easy 20 see that thr aggregate number Of
/ human beings uH1 have ever lived or earth rlH
| into hundreds 81 mas Ie thousands 0t billions. ll'
/ lives q Oh. Eaar majority ~ these ul-e ci a
/ much consequence tr human history as The sI7H.
at fishes or tHe larvae o' flies Dr. IS consideration
/ .f this -rrt which make D. difficult a. times % Hr
/ G.-tsnd tle arlar with which men pursue tl
shows and hIuh.-s rf this world
/ 40. the individual life is of little con
. sequence TO the race. The aggregate hf'
of the race seems Of little consequence
/ to tho earth. This philosophy makes i
/ plain that human civilization IS but d
. Hutter Of consciousness and the wld'
f. cycle of iife and the cycle of life is bu
. an eyanesCont moment u the history %
/ The globe And so. accepting cosmos a
. a machine. dominated hy simple mesHan
. lc1l laws. We must still pursue our Iy,
as IF human destiny were the subject o.
/ human control To this much of the ide.
of mechanism Ue must Dee accustomed
/ and iusausihly rerauC.led
In reading this work one remember
/ what Nietzscne said. Since CoparH'cgs
man seems as If thrown upon am incline.
plane. down which Dee is rolling, rolling
faster and ever fdsrcg-aUay from his cen
] traI plara iu Whittier. Int
uotbuguessf Into a deep -ponetratu
sense n' Willingness fNew York. Ions
mans. Green ~ COB