THE PROGRAMME 5 



applicable to the totality of questions asked by all the 

 branches of philosophy. 



But let us not be disturbed by this problematic entrance 

 to our studies. Let us follow biology on its own path ; 

 let us study its transition from a " naive ' science to a real 

 branch of the philosophy of nature. In this way we perhaps 

 shall be able to understand what its part may be in solving 

 what can be solved. 



That is to be our subject. 



OUR PHILOSOPHICAL BASIS 



We call nature what is given to us in space. 



Of course we are not obliged in these lectures to 

 discuss the psychological and epistemological problems of 

 space with its three dimensions, nor are we obliged to 

 develop a general theory of reality and its different 

 aspects. A few epistemological points will be considered 

 later at proper times, and always in connection with results 

 of theoretical biology. 



At present it must suffice to say that our general 

 philosophical point of view will be idealistic, in the critical 

 meaning of the word. The universe, and within the 

 universe nature, in the sense just defined, is my 

 phenomenon. That is what I know. I know nothing 

 more, either positively or negatively ; that is to say, I 

 do not know that the world is only my phenomenon, but, 

 on the other hand, I know nothing about its " absolute 

 reality." And more, I am not even able to describe in 

 intelligible words what " absolute reality ' might mean. I 

 am fully entitled to state : the universe is as truly as I 



