HOW DID LIFE ORIGINATE? 7 



the reality of our mind, with which we are in much more direct 

 contact. 



Just as physicists have been forced to have faith in the existence 

 of unobservables, as being in the nature of things, so we are forced 

 to have faith in the reality of "unobservable"* mental and spiritual 

 phenomena. This philosophical point of view has, of course, 

 nothing in common with numerous mercenary frauds, or with 

 delusions based on wishful thinking, or with "mediums," "psy- 

 chics," "spiritualists," and even some "religions." 



Applying Herbert Spencer's criterion of truth — the inconceiva- 

 bility of the opposite — we are led by faith to believe that life has 

 some future significance and meaning, even though we are and 

 must be ignorant of just what it is. Nothing is more real to us 

 than our own personality, even though we cannot understand its 

 basis. Most religions and creeds have been formed about this 

 basic kernel of faith, which, despite uncertainties and fears, re- 

 mains mankind's greatest comfort; for it involves the hope and 

 expectation that we shall, in some way, admittedly unknown, be 

 reunited with those we love. Some accept faith in the persistence 

 of mind or soul from formal creeds; others are led to this view 

 by philosophical consideration of the material and spiritual facts 

 of life. Nevertheless, despite differences of opinion as to matters 

 within our control, and as to those at present beyond it, we carry 

 on to serve our living fellows. The following lines expressing 

 this view have been called "A Scientist's Psalm": 



Almighty Power! Too vast to be 

 Compassed by human mind or hand, 

 With loving awe we reverence Thee, 

 Striving to see and understand. 



Within the atom's ordered maze, 

 Earth's lumined book, writ to be read, 

 Beyond the star-dust's far flung haze, 

 We seek Thy works with joy, not dread. 



Our souls, which by Thy richest grace, 

 Have waked to justice, mercy, love, 

 Find in humanity Thy face, 

 And serving men, serve Thee above. 



* Perhaps they should be termed "directly observable." 



