The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-25

Nature and Limitations Of God, Soul.
Time and SPACE.

Time and Space.
10 THE EDiToR OF TIN SuN-Sir: In
THE sun of July IL W. &. Ross gave
us what he called an "apodictic proof
that an infinite and eternal being can-
not exist. "Apodictic' ordinarily means
i~ndisputable, above all contradiction,
and the epithet evidently is thus used
by MIR. Ross. Perhaps q better uualin-
cation for MIR. Ross proof would be
saliva reverentia, lcaky. His apodictic
proof Is that an infinite being cannot
exist except In infinite space. and an
eternal being cannot exist except in
infinite time but there are no such
things possible as infinite space and
time (Which is certainly II truism)
therefore there is no infinite, eternal
being. After a manner he proves his
MINOR proposition, but he assumes the
major as true. Just here is the hole
in that "apodictic" proof. This major
happens to be so false that it is II con-
tradiction in terms. like "a square circle.
The consequence. then, is irrelevant, to
put 1t mildly. The only proof he could
offer for the major is that all beings,
IL they exist at all. must occupy space
and exist in time. therefore infinite,
eternal being If it exists is in space and
time but space and time to hold an
infinite eternal being must be infinite
and eternal which is absurd. The
trouble with such an argument is that
its first premise IL nonsense.
There are several meanings OF the
term space" Newton's. Leibnitz's. Des-
,%artes's, Rants. and others similar to
these, which are all erroneous; and the
true siRnification. Every one of these
men, however. even Kant. makes guam
%titativc extension essential to space.
that liz. extension by parts and. or
course. extension by parts Is contrary
to the very definition of infinite, eter-
ral being. Space formally is a ca
pacity on possibility of receiving within
it's comprehension either u solid extern
sion on "A motion measurable through
extension. as opposed to succession. Il
differs from place, which has to do with
those different parts of space which
several bodies, or various parts OF the
same body, occupy and INTO which these
M, or can he transferred. Pure or
mathematical space Is abstract extern
sion, the extension Of an object pre-
sCiudins from the object itself. When
we consider this extension as "A reCep-
tacle, either filled or vacant, or a
possibility Of locating bodies and local
motion. We have formal or physical
space. We measure space by extension
we say space Is great. ample, vast, mar
row. mail We have no other method
of talking about II. explaining II, except
comparing space or parts OF space
iy their extension.
Time. secondly. supposes succession !,
- it ~ the enumeration and measure Of
. motion from before and after. Ii Is
not the measure of parts simultaneously
existing chat Is spaced, but OF parts
p In nun. 1t supposeS change. Eternity,
however. is changeless, and not IA sue
cession of parts. Therefore any argu-
! nent drawn from u consideration OF
I either space or time as such TO prove
. that eternal. infinite being does OF does
not exist IL absurd.
The arguments for the existence OF
: God are not straw arguments set up to
he kicked to pieces az Mr.. Ross argu-
' meut is. II there is a God this being
p, Is necessary tas opposed TO contingent),
~self-existent: it's essence always has
been actualized into existence and al
: ways will be. and that from itself alone.
= A contingent being is one that happens
to be ~tcontingere) 1t Is OF necessity
neither existent nor non-existent IL has
no logical aversion to existence, but IN
j. itself 1t has no more than a possibility
- Of actuality. A necessary being, on the
Z contrary. essentially must be it cannot
not be it is absolutely and essentially
its own existence.
There Is such "A necessary being. IL
, there were not. all things would be
y contingent. which is an absurdity. The
absurdity arises from the fact that If
all things were contingent nothing
would be actual. because there would
I he nothing to bring the primitive po-
= Sentiality of the contingent beings into
actual existence. The sufficient reason
| for the actual existence of contingent
\ beings is either In themselves or in
son. hing outside themselves 1t can
not be In themselves. because as
they do not yet exist they are moth
< ing therefore IT Is a being which is
: not contingent. and any existent being
that Is not contingent is necessary
q Therefore the actual existence of con-
tingent beings absolutely requires the
existence Of "A necessary being, which
always was in existence. TIL ordinary
. rame for this necessary being is God.
II Necessary being is infinite, as a corol'
= Larry to It's definition, and therefore sim
pie, without parts, inextended. unlim'
V tied. omnipresent. II Is eternal, that
r is, above all limitation of time. 1t is
not strictly true to say that God was
is, or Will he lie is in eternity. w
apply the terms of time to Him by en-
y ternal relation. lie looks as on.
on a mountain watches "A passing army
v at all time from its first recorded bea'
Until ii merges into the eternity o'
mans immortality. Necessary being
must be perfect, that Is. fully formed
J. have everything possible to being o
e any kind. otherwise 1t could not caus'
10 contingent beings. II Anything could h'
added to necessary being this addition
a would not exist necessarily 1t would
" be accidental. and therefore ii coulC
> never belong to necessary being. Nec"s
le sary being realizes in itself All perfec
y tion possible to II from any point q
view II its perfection has II limit, th't
" limit il set either by some outsid'
IA cause or by the essence itself of rrccs
!, sary being. Necessary being by IL
very definition is wholly from, by an'
- in itself. and superior to all actor
Il from without. II cannot he limited b.
l. its own essence or nature: IN Al
At contingent being the nature is IT
"A own limitation for instance, matte
10 cannot be intellectual, intellect Canuo
" he material, In necessary being TN
only limit ~ the necessity ~ self-cAist
cnce. which is no limit. since it doe
X lot exclude anything compatible witt
a being IT excludes all contingency, i'm
AT perfection, defect it is therefore IN
ot finite In the unity and comprchrusiu
OF the fulness of being. A similar proc
x holds for the eternity of God,
lc AUSTIN oMALLEY.
" PHILADELPHIA July "a.