98 GENERAL YIEW AND BASIS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. 



select or choose a belief when we are only blindly led 

 by our feelings. 



True beliefs have very different degrees of importance 

 in themselves, and also in every different case ; and here 

 again we require the use of the intellect to determine the 

 intrinsic importance of a given belief, or its extrinsic 

 value in a given case. The most intrinsically important 

 beliefs in science are those of the great principles and 

 axiomatic truths of nature. A judicious selection of true 

 scientific beliefs is indispensable to the formation of a 

 superior intellectual character, and to the acquisition of the 

 highest scientific ability viz., that of truthful discern- 

 ment of causes and explanations of phenomena. Ignorant 

 persons cannot understand great or high principles, and 

 therefore do not usually believe in them. 



True freedom of selection of ideas depends upon 

 perfect and free action of the intellect ; the more free 

 and perfect the action of the mind, the better are we 

 able to select true or important beliefs. The basis of the 

 freedom of the intellect lies in the Great Cause of all 

 things. As the source of all nature is the origin of all 

 truth, so is the system of nature and its principles a 

 system of truth ; and as the intellect of man, so far as it 

 is properly developed, is a true representative of nature, 

 so is it free to act in accordance with truth ; and the real 

 basis of freedom of intellect is, therefore, its liberty to act 

 in harmony with nature and nature's Grod. So far, there- 

 fore, as we have had opportunities of cultivating our 

 intellect, and especially the reasoning power, to an equal 

 extent are we responsible for our beliefs. 



It is true that, by directing our attention either to 

 the whole or only a part of the evidence in any given 

 case, we can voluntarily influence our beliefs ; but this 

 ability is dependent upon the cultivation of the intellect, 



