IO THOUGHTS ON NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 



experimenters, because I wished to state the case as 

 stated by them. There is not any magic in * names; 

 and it does not much matter what you call a thing so 

 long as the term is clearly defined at the start, and 

 you abide by that term and definition throughout the 

 argument. Scientific terms are but words applied to 

 temporary arrangements of matter caused by the 

 speed, weight, and movements of material portions. 

 This is to be remembered in order that we do not get 

 lost in a forest of names, or allow scientific terms 

 to obscure our vision of the reality and cause of 

 things. 



f A ' 



I Natural philosophy does not belong entirely to 

 scientific experimentalists and mathematicians. 

 When the first have made their delicate and difficult 

 experiments, and the others have worked out their 

 intricate problems, then, if either or both of them 

 commence to construct a system of philosophy, the 

 logicians come in, and it is their high duty to test 

 the reasoning of the philosophers. If that reason- 

 ing cannot stand the necessary tests, the philosophy 

 must be cast aside, no matter who may be its author. 

 The work of the logician is necessary, because some 

 of the suggestions of learned men are fit only for 

 Alice in Wonderland, where a thing can be a pussy- 

 cat and not a pussy-cat at the same time. 



Logic may be described as a means of testing 

 reasoning (or reasoning) by letters; and mathe- 

 matics as a means of testing reasoning (or reasoning) 



* The word atom was applied in error to what was supposed to be, 

 uncombined matter. The atomic theory is safe. 



