Nature or the Universe 29 



be known only by experiencing it ? The answer to this 

 question will be decisive for much of our attitude 

 toward the world. 



Considering science as the formulating of experi- 

 ence, this question must be put as follows: Would 

 experience that was limited to the fiery mist as it 

 occurred in the early epochs make possible the pre- 

 diction of the outer and inner phenomena of life, its 

 activities and its sensations, emotions, mental experi- 

 ences ? Confronted with samples of that material, per- 

 ceiving the particles of which it was composed, their 

 velocities, directions of motion, and distribution in 

 space, could the investigator hope, by logic and the 

 aid of an unlimited computing machine, to compute 

 from its properties and distribution the later emer- 

 gence of life, including varied sensations, feelings, 

 ideas, and thoughts as they have later come forth? 



This question can be answered only No ! From com- 

 putations that begin with particles, velocities, direc- 

 tions, distributions, there can emerge by computa- 

 tional and logical treatment only particles, velocities, 

 directions, distributions — never a sensation. A sensa- 

 tion of red does not logically or computationally follow 

 from an arrangement of particles in combination with 

 vibrations of a certain wave length. Not the hardiest 

 mechanist has attempted so to derive it. The approved 

 procedure is to "abstract from" sensations and other 

 inner experiences, to ignore them, to say that science 

 does not deal with them. The utmost that can be done 

 is to discover by experience that the sensation of red 



