PREFACE 



OBJECTS AND METHOD 



THIS work is the logical sequel to my study of The 

 Subconscious Being. Its intention is to include both 

 collective and individual evolution in a larger and more 

 complete synthesis. Its form is governed by the same 

 procedure : to express the ideas with the utmost 

 simplicity, the greatest clarity and conciseness that 

 may be possible; to avoid lengthy analyses and develop- 

 ments; and above all to put aside easy digressions of 

 an imaginative or poetical character. 



My primary aim was to make the work a synthesis, 

 and this synthesis should be considered as a whole, 

 without reference to details which have been omitted 

 or intentionally set aside. In fact, an exhaustive study 

 of any single one of the questions treated would be a 

 life work, but this is for those who devote themselves 

 to analysis, and I leave it to them; my purpose is 

 different, it aims at the ideal quest of a wide philosophical 

 generalisation, based on facts. 



Obviously such a philosophy, in the actual state 

 of human knowledge and consciousness, can claim to 

 be no more than an endeavour, a sketch, or as it might 

 be called, a general plan, in which only main outlines 

 and a few details are clearly drawn. 



Necessarily incomplete, this philosophy cannot claim 

 to be entirely original. Most of the solutions proposed 

 are naturally to be found here and there, more or less 

 sharply defined and more or less varied, in other natural- 

 istic or metaphysical systems. 



The general idea of this work is that which has 



ix 



