The Philosopliy of Evolution. 41 



possible generalization, and the expansion of this term into a 

 series, ending only with the last possible individualization. 

 The aim of physical science is to determine that half of the in- 

 tellectual orbit which lies between the individual and the gen- 

 eral — the aim of metaphysical science is to trace the other 

 half which lies between the general and the individual. When 

 we seek to know what is, we proceed by induction — the meth- 

 od of the phenomenal. When, knowing what is, we proceed 

 to determine what hence must be, we proceed by deduction — 

 the method of the Necessary. Thus Science, at first seeking 

 principles, proceeds by induction to establish them ; but after 

 these fundamental principles have been established, it proceeds 

 deductively to determine what must result from them, without 

 waiting to discover these truths by observation. 



Knowledge is thus complete just in proportion to the ex- 

 tension of it;5 scope through generalization. The higher the 

 generalization, the more inclusive will it be, and the summiim 

 genus, or the final generalization, will be the highest attainable 

 reach of knowledge. When man can make no further gener- 

 alization, his knowledge will be, in so far, absolute and com- 

 plete, and all that remains possible to him will be the practical 

 application of what he already knows. Perfect knowledge is 

 nothing but perfect generalization. The Supreme Intelligence 

 being hypothetically possessed of all knowledge, that is, hav- 

 ing discriminated the absolute summum genus, can proceed no 

 further in this direction ; his intellectual activity must be ex- 

 erted in a descendmg series, or from the general towards the 

 individual, and this process must be, as we have seen above, 

 by a deterrninate series of steps, fixed by the operation of a 

 definite law, which law proceeds by the successive addition of 

 attributes to the general. 



Complete knowledge, being complete generalization, the 

 Imes of all science will necessarily converge, as they approach 

 this generalization, until all sciences coalesce in one science, 

 and all truth is reduced to a single expression in the utterance 



