Modern Science : A Criticism 



form of the law is declared to be the inverse square of 

 the distance ; but this is the law by the nature 

 of space itself of any perfect radiation, and if 

 true of gravitation involves the conclusion that that 

 radiation of force (whatever its nature may be) 

 takes place without loss or dissipation of any kind. 

 This would make gravitation absolutely unique 

 among phenomena. More than this, its propaga- 

 tion is supposed to be instantaneous over the most 

 enormous distances of space, and to take place 

 always unhindered and unretarded, whatever be 

 the number or the nature of the bodies between ! 

 What can be more clear than that the law is simply 

 metaphysical — a projection into a monstrous uni- 

 versality and abstraction, of partially understood 

 phenomena in a particular region of observation — 

 a Brocken-shadow on the background of Nature of 

 the observer's own momentary attitude of thought } 

 Again, the undulatory theory of Light. Study- 

 ing the phenomena of a vast number of coloured 



supposed to take on the characters (accelerations, etc.,) which 

 we ascribe to the action of Gravitation. Gravitation in fact 

 in any region is the manifestation in Time of the attributes of 

 the universal Medium in that region — which latter again is 

 dependent on the degree of Matter present. Thus, Matter, 

 Time, and Space are one phenomenon. 



The whole Einstein theory, in fact, is a device to present 

 these three Protean and variable elements of all material exist- 

 ence (Matter, Time and Space) as so far involved and inter- 

 laced in each other that they form always an absolute and 

 complete unity. As such the theory is no doubt suggestive, 

 and along the line of future speculation : but it awaits corro- 

 boration. If corroborated it will point the way to a new 

 conception of the Universe. 



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