PROFESSOR WHEWELL, ON CAUSE AND EFFECT. 325 



point of time, is determined by the antecedent series of such forces, which 

 series may be considered as an aggregate cause ; and hence it appears, that 

 the permanent effect is determined by the aggregate cause ; and in this 

 sense the effect is subsequent to the cause. 



Thus we obtain, in this case, a solution of the difficulty which is placed 

 before us. The instantaneous effect or change is simultaneous with the 

 instantaneous force or cause by which it is produced. But if we con- 

 sider a series of such instantaneous forces as a single aggregate cause, and 

 the final condition as a permanent effect of this cause, the effect is sub- 

 sequent to the cause. In this case, the cause is immediately succeeded 

 by the effect. The cause acts in time: the effect goes on in time. The 

 times occupied by the cause and by the effect succeed each other, 

 the one ending at the point of time at which the other begins. But the 

 time which the cause occupies is really composed of a series of instants 

 of uniform motion interposed between instantaneous forces ; and during 

 the time that this series of causes is going on, to make up the aggregate 

 cause, a series of effects is going on to make up the final effect. There 

 is a progressive cause and a progressive effect which go on together, 

 and occupy the same finite time ; and this simultaneous progression 

 is composed of all the simultaneous instantaneous steps of cause and 

 effect. The aggregate cause is the sum of the progression of causes; 

 the final effect is the last term of the progression of effects. At each 

 step, as the Reviewer says, cause is transformed into effect ; and it is 

 treasured up in the results during the intermediate intervals ; and the time 

 occupied is not the time which intervenes between cause and effect at 

 each step, but the time which intervenes between these transformations. 



I have supposed forces to act at distinct instants, and to cease to act 

 in the intervals between ; and then, the aggregate of such intervals to make 

 up a finite time, during which an aggregate force acts. But if the action 

 of the force be rigorously continuous, it will easily be seen that all the 

 consequences as to cause and effect will be the same; the discontinuous action 

 being merely the usual artifice by which, in mathematical reasonings, we 

 obtain results respecting continuous changes. It will still be true, that 

 the uniform motion which takes place after a continuous force has acted, is 

 the effect subsequent to the cause; while the change which takes place 

 Vol. VII. Part III. N n 



