RATIONALISM AND IDEA OF GOD 219 



as they are known to man, the inner consisting in 

 the mode in which the conception is organized and 

 the way it is related to the rest of the personality. 

 It is obvious that both man's knowledge of the cosmic 

 powers as well as his method of organizing them in 

 his mind can grow and change ; and man's Gods 

 can — ^and do — grow and change accordingly. 



The growth of science in the last few centuries 

 has radically altered our knowledge of the outer 

 world. It has shown us, in the first place, a funda- 

 mental unity of all phenomena, however apparently 

 diverse. It has shown us the inorganic part of the 

 cosmos pursuing a direction — the progressive degrada- 

 tion of energy — which, if it is carried to its limit, 

 will result in the extinction not only of life, but of 

 all activity. It has next shown us the organic part, 

 sprung from the inorganic but running a different 

 course, ascending during evolutionary time to in- 

 creasing heights of complexity and to increasing 

 control over its inorganic environment. 



Finally, we have the psychozoic or human portion 

 — that minute fraction of the cosmos which yet is 

 of a preponderant importance, since it definitely repre- 

 sents the highest level yet reached by evolutionary 

 progress. In this sphere mind is the dominant partner, 

 biologically speaking, in the mind-matter partnership ; 

 evolution can begin to be conscious instead of for- 

 tuitous ; and true values arise which, incorporated in 

 ideals and purposes, exert an effect upon events. 



