SOURCES OF ERROR. Ill 



sideration into debatable subjects, and draw unwarrantable 

 conclusions respecting questions which either lie beyond 

 their powers, which are unprovable, or which have no 

 foundation in truth. Such questions are abundant, and 

 are most attractive to unscientific persons ; in discussing 

 them, the greatest intellects are reduced nearly to th 

 level of the most unreasoning minds, and superior know- 

 ledge is of but little advantage men talk about them, 

 but make little progress, and develope but little new 

 truth. A similar instance of the lowering and levelling 

 of intellect and reason is seen in scientific subjects whilst 

 the latter are in a crude state, and not reduced to law and 

 order. 



We should not only love truth and fear error, but also 

 avoid doubtful ideas as we do the society of doubtful 

 characters; all eminent discoverers have shunned them, 

 and Faraday was a conspicuous example of this ; but in 

 this matter most men are entirely off their guard, espe- 

 cially if the ideas are attractive ones, and entertained by 

 respectable society. To believe we know that which, on 

 account of its uncertainty or of our finite powers, we 

 cannot know, is a greater error than to remain ignorant, 

 because it misleads us ; and the proper name for such a 

 state of mind is conceited ignorance. However objection- 

 able also the so-called ( pride of intellect ' may be, that of 

 such ignorance is still greater. The greatest fool will 

 undertake to settle the most complex questions. 



A great many errors arise from mistaking appearances 

 for realities. The most extreme and doubtful ideas often 

 contain some germ of truth, and the most apparently 

 satisfactory and safe ones frequently include some error. 

 The essence of an idea or phenomenon is usually unlike the 

 thing itself. Nearly all human ideas contain some degree of 

 error, and every apparent error usually implies some truth. 



