The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-02-18

his brain cells. He expresses TINS
practically, later in his interview; ano
this saves him from some Of the con
sequences of his former loose express
sions. But how does Mr.. Edison Know
that a mans intelligence is made up
of the combined intelligence OF his
brain cells? He claims to have reach
ed his conclusions through the study
of hard fact; we wish he. in sclen-
tific fashion, had given his facts to
the world before his conclusion. The
facts are these-at least until MI. Ed
ison produces new facts as yet I'M
known to the scientific world; no one
knows anything about the existence
of an intelligent cell. No proof, not
the slightest has ever been advanced
to show intelligence in cell. So
far as science knows, there is no more
proof of the existence Of Intelligence
in a brain cell than there is in the
cell of a potato. or in the molecules
of matter that make up this paper.
We do know there is a connection be-
tween the brain and the mind, that
the mind thinks through aid of the
brain, as it sees through aid of the
nerves of the eye; but that does not
prove the brain thinks any more than
it proves the nerves of the eye see. No
more even than it would prove that
the strings of a violin enjoy their own
music. If we do not know that cells
have intelligence, how can we know
that any combination of cells will pro-
duce intelligence? Yet, Mr.. Edison
believes it. Assumption again; the
merest assumption.
"Mr. Edison uses comparison to
make his idea credible to the people.
He says "A mans intelligence is the
aggregate intelligence of the innu-
merable cells that form him-just as
the intelligence of a community is the
aggregate intelligence of the men and
women who inhabit it, Surely, he
of a figure of speech. We use SYM
bolic language when we speak of the
aggregate intelligence Of a commun-
ity. The community shows its intel
ligence only through individuals: it is
made up of individuals of different
degrees Of intelligence, Of different
and often contradictory ideas, princi-
pies and sentiments. Mr. Edison could
hardly choose a less happy compari-
son. What does he think happens
when an idea enters the mind? Do
all the little brain cells begin to de-
bate it? Are some of the little brain
cells audacious insurgents and others
intelligent little brain cell an opinion
of it's own? How does all this intel
lectual activity go on absolutely I'M
known to us? How do the brain
cells manage finally to reach an har-
monious conclusion, so harmonious
that a political love-feast seems like
war in comparison?
mo, if the brain cells have intelli-
gence no scientist has ever discovered
the fact We know nothing, then,
about intelligent cells; but we do
know that a man has an intelligent
mind or soul. We do not distinguish
between mind and soul in the way Mr..
tn hi nh aoY
Technology; the mind is the soul in
it's intellectual operations. The mind
is one and knows itself to be one.
Memory proves this. I remember the
Civil War. The little brain cells that
had these early experiences have pass
ed away, physiology tells us; but I
remain the same individual through
all these changing years. Nothing is
clearer to me than by own individual
ity: and the principle of that is what
we call the soul. Mr.. Edison speaks
of his Investigations into the soul; he
seems to have looked for it with a
m croscope. st. Paul was a truer
philosopher: for what man knoVeth
the things of a man, save the spirit of
man that is in him? 1t is only by
searching into our consciousness that
the nature of mind or soul can be dis
Covered"
/ your Eminence, how would you
prove tnat tue soul euuureS dter
death?"
practically? For the vast major
ity of people? By revealed religion
Let a man study earnestly the life Of
Jesus Christ; let him try to form a
complete conception of His work, His
teachings and His Personality; let
him not, like so many nowadays-Mr.
Edison among them,-pick out one or
two doctrines and refuse to listen to
the rest; let him not imagine that he
knows so thoroughly the laws Of the