3gQ [November. 



Mr. Foulke referred to the interesting fact, that the pre- 

 sence of phosphorus seems to be a sine qua non to life in all 

 its phases, from the thought-life of the brain of man down to 

 the simplest cell-life of the infusorial world. 



Dr. Goodwin referred to previous discussions of the subject 

 of the Freedom of the Will, and spoke in proof both of the 

 existence of the faculty and of its freedom. 



Mr. Foulke considered the discussion as exhausted long ago 

 by President Edwards, and unserviceable in a day of natural 

 science. 



Mr. Lesley advocated the discussion of metaphysical sub- 

 jects as a philosophic necessity, but urged the harm of a merely 

 logical play with words which have descended to us from a 

 remote antiquity, clothing themselves with traditional mean- 

 ings on their way. 



In this instance an ancient elliptical expression, originally stand- 

 ing for an act or at most for an aifection of the soul, was afterwards 

 personified as a power^ and has at last entered our philosophical 

 creed as an essence. We discover in the most ancient languages no 

 aboriginal word for will; with a meaning such as the modern bears. 

 There are only words meaning Desire, Intention, Power govern- 

 mental, Power judicial. Verdict, an attitude of the Soul as an ac- 

 tive unit in presence of the surrounding world. Nor have we any 

 direct evidence of the existence of a separate faculty called Will. 

 As to the supposed conflict between the two theories of the determined 

 and self-determining Will, in other words between Free Will and 

 Necessity, it is likely to disappear with the disappearance of the sup- 

 posed faculty. And in any case, testimony being taken on both sides 

 by Natural History methods, both the freedom of man's responsible 

 soul and its absolute subjection to motives are alike affirmed; nor 

 does there seem to be any rational necessity in deciding for the one, 

 for rejecting the other. 



The minutes of the last meeting of the board of officers and 

 members in council were read with the list of nominations re- 

 commended. 



Mr. Foulke moved that the Committee on the Arctic Expe- 

 dition under the command of Dr. I. I. Hayes, be requested to 

 invite Dr. Hayes to be present at the next meeting of the 



