DISCUSSION 147 



lectures. They certainly need not have been 

 mentioned at this discussion. 



Von Hansemann proceeded to criticise the Chris 

 tian view of the position of man in the universe. He 

 asked what this view really was, and went on to 

 say : We must remember that, long before there 

 was a Christian view at all, there were scientific 

 theories, which are constantly being proved to have 

 corresponded very well with facts as known to 

 men. The Greeks, the ancient Egyptians, the 

 Hindoos, 1 and the Chinese had excellent theories 

 of a scientific character. Therefore all this has 

 nothing to do with religion or with Christianity. 

 If these questions depended upon the Christian 

 theory of life, what would become of the Japanese, 

 who enjoy at the present day the highest scientific 

 education ? Because they are not Christians, are 

 they to be excluded from considering the theory of 

 evolution and other similar problems ? We ought 

 to limit ourselves here strictly to the scientific 

 standpoint, and proceed from it in dealing with 

 these questions. 



Von Hansemannn is here plainly confusing 

 the theory of nature with the theory of life. The 

 theory of the atomists, for instance, who explain 



1 It is a pity that the Professor did not more closely compare the fantas 

 tic myth of the Creation, as told by the Hindoos, with the simple and 

 dignified account of it which is contained in the Bible. 



