CHAPTEE II. 



THE DATA OF PHILOSOPHY. 



§ 39. Every thought involves a whole system of 

 thoughts; and ceases to exist if severed from its various cor- 

 relatives. As we cannot isolate a single organ of a living 

 body, and deal with it as though it had a life independent of 

 the rest; so, from the organized structure of our cognitions, 

 we cannot cut out one, and proceed as though it had sur- 

 vived the separation. The development of formless proto- 

 plasm into an embryo, is a specialization of parts, the dis- 

 tinctness of which increases only as fast as their combination 

 increases — each becomes a distinguishable organ only on 

 condition that it is bound up with others, which have simul- 

 taneously become distinguishable organs; and, similarly, 

 from the unformed material of consciousness, a developed 

 intelligence can arise only by a process which, in making 

 thoughts defined also makes them mutually dependent — 

 establishes among them certain vital connections the de- 

 struction of which causes instant death of the thoughts. 

 Overlooking this all-important truth, however, speculators 

 have habitually set out with some professedly-simple datum 

 or data; have supposed themselves to assume nothing be- 

 yond this datum or these data; and have thereupon pro- 

 ceeded to prove or disprove propositions which were, by im- 

 plication, already unconsciously asserted along with that 

 which was consciously asserted. 



This reasoning in a circle has resulted from the misuse of 

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