402 Structure of the Universe 



the probability that there should be another structure of the uni- 

 verse which would satisfy the same evidence." 



Steps Taken By Reynolds, 



Some may ask, if Reynolds' theory is such a great one why is it 

 that we do not hear more about it? Also what does the scientific 

 world think of the theory? In answer to the first question I may 

 say that there has scarcely yet been time since the publication of 

 Reynolds' work for the theory to become known. The "Sub- 

 mechanics of the Universe" was published in 1903, but the mathe- 

 matical difficulties of the work are so great, that few are able to 

 grasp the proofs. Neither are all the proofs of the theory in this 

 work. The final theory is the result of five successive steps or dis- 

 coveries. These steps or discoveries were made, as Reynolds says, 

 "apart from any idea that they would be steps towards the mechanical 

 solution of the problem of the universe." These steps and discov- 

 eries are to be found in Volumes I. and II. of Reynolds' Scientific 

 Papers. The first of these steps was taken in 1874, the second in 

 1879, the third in 1883, the fourth in 1885, and the fifth in 1895. 

 Each deals with a particular physical problem, and taken altogether 

 they form the base on which the great superstructure, "The Sub- 

 mechanics of the Universe" is built. I append to this lecture the 

 names of the subjects dealt with in the five successive steps referred 

 to. So it need not be a matter of surprise that more is not heard 

 of the theory yet. 



Solved By A Paradox. 



In addition to this the ideas which flow from the theory seem at 

 first strange to our minds and to our preconceived ideas, and it is 

 only by rational analysis that we can arrive at the conceptions which 

 the theory contains. The solution of the problem of gravitation 

 seems to be solved by a paradox. Yet this should not deter us from 

 attacking it. The history of science rather proves that every intel- 

 lectual advance realizes a paradoxical opinion, and that "intellectual 

 development may be traced to the successive discomfitures of common 

 sence." Who ever believes progress to be as certain in the future 

 as it has been in the past, must admit, a priori the existence of phen- 

 omena which conflict with what we know at present, and from the 

 fact that man's knowledge about the world has received continual 

 additions, it immediately follows that to every time other truths are 

 given than those hitherto demonstrable. Every generation has sup- 

 posed that it stood on the apex of the pyramid, and has supposed all 

 phenomena of nature to be deducible from just those laws known to 

 it, so that all future generations had the mere subordinate task of 

 dragging new stones on to a structure of which the architectural 

 conception was complete. But true progress is not extensive but 

 vertical, and so it has always been such investigators as were free 

 from this prejudice who have been destined to make revolutionary 

 discoveries. 



The history of knowledge is like the development of a mine. 

 When the ore has been worked out down to one level a new level must 



