A NEW PHASE OF AN OLD CONFLICT 555 



seize a part of this ceaseless river of free energy (mainly from the sun) 

 flowing by us to the sea of dissipation, and divert it to human uses. 

 We can never increase its amount, but by ignorance or maladroitness 

 we may waste or destroy some of that part which is available to man, 

 by facilitating instead of reducing its dissipation. Each of us is, then, 

 made a trustee of that single working capital, that foundation of our 

 collective possibility of living, and his value to mankind is measured 

 by the proportion of total free energy that he takes from the general 

 stream and applies to the benefit of the race. If, however, by careless- 

 ness or misuse he allows the free energy which is under his control to 

 become dissipated, he is guilty of a crime against the general welfare 

 which can never be made good; because dissipated energy can never 

 again be converted into free energy. It is the sin against the energetic 

 imperative and has the qualities of unforgivability and irrevocability 

 that have been ascribed to the sin against the Holy Ghost. 



The rule of natural law is much more "humane " than that of man- 

 made law, although infraction of the former is indeed punishable, in 

 so much as the life of each individual is rendered more arduous and un- 

 pleasant in proportion to his aberration from the natural laws of vital 

 phenomena. But these laws are not something imposed from without. 

 They form part of the very texture of his being. He only needs to see 

 himself rightly, to be impressed, not only with the inevitableness of nat- 

 ural laws, but with their desirability. The law that a straight line is 

 the shortest distance between two points does not trouble us, since we 

 do not have to go that way unless we prefer it. But we have every 

 ground for satisfaction that we know this law and have since early 

 childhood learned its practical application, for this knowledge enables 

 us to reach our destination by the shortest path and so puts us in a 

 position to act in harmony with the energetic imperative and to visit 

 our friends without undue waste of energy ! 



Ostwald states that he learned not to force himself to work when he 

 did not feel inclined toward it, and so accomplished much more in the 

 end, because there was no waste of energy in overcoming the resistance 

 of disinclination ; and argues that the aim of our practical social ideals 

 should be, so to arrange all labor as to conduct it in like manner. This 

 would conduce to the greatest happiness of the greatest number, and 

 all would be working to the greatest advantage, since working volun- 

 tarily. 



The energetic imperative requires, in fact, that we should remove 

 out of our lives and those of our fellow men every compulsion, every 

 opposition to individual preference so far as is compatible in any way 

 with living together. 



To the scientific man, natural laws are not commands, but guide- 

 posts, whose purpose and use is to show him the way to a truer and 



