TEE PROBLEM OF CONSCIOUSNESS. 303 



all the contents of our consciousness rather than that which we can 

 draw by discarding the internal evidence which consciousness brings 

 us? The hypothesis which I offer for your consideration is this: 



Consciousness has the power to change the form of energy, and is 

 neither a form of energy nor a state of protoplasm. 



By this hypothesis there are two fundamentally different things in 

 the universe, force and consciousness. You ask why I do not say three, 

 and add matter? My answer is that we do not have, and never have 

 had, any evidence whatever that matter exists. All our sensations are 

 caused by force and by force only, so that the biologist can say that our 

 senses bring no evidence of matter. The concept 'matter' is an irra- 

 tional transfer of notions derived from the gross molar world of the 

 senses to the molecular world. Faraday long ago pointed out that noth- 

 ing was gained and much lost by the hypothesis of material atoms, and 

 his position seems to me impregnable. It would be a great contribution 

 to science to kill off the hypothesis of matter as distinct from force. 



To conclude : The universe consists of force and consciousness. As 

 consciousness by our hypothesis can initiate the change of the form of 

 energy, it may be that without consciousness the universe would come 

 to absolute rest. Since I close with a bold speculation let my last words 

 recall to you that my text is : Investigate consciousness by comparative 

 observations. Only from observation can we know. Correct, intelli- 

 gent, exhaustive observation is our goal. When we reach it human 

 science will be completed. 



