4 THOUGHTS ON OUR COATCEPT/OXS OF PHYSICAL LAW. 



Let us assume that one of the secret springs of human action is this : that 

 any given case we decide to do that which we then think will give us, on t 

 whole, most pleasure or least pain, often deciding, however, to give up a greal 

 pleasure, to be enjoyed only in the future, for a lesser one which we can enj 

 immediately, precisely as we sometimes allow a note to be discounted in ord 

 that we may realize upon it at once ; or, to take another case : we have in mecha 

 ics a principle known as the " principle of least action." Applied to the sol 

 system, it affirms that each of the planetary bodies so moves, that the sum of t 

 energy lost by counter attraction, is less than if they moved in any other way. 

 this law holds in the interaction of men in society, it would mean, that howev 

 erratic the orbits of individual men may be, however much trouble may cor 

 upon them, or however[much they may bring upon themselves, taking men as th^ 

 are, the sum of human trouble is less than if men did differently, being what th( 

 are. Assuming that man is wisely constructed, mentally and physically, this 

 merely saying, in other words, that the present order of things is a wise one. 



We are hardly in a position to assert that either of these statements is really 

 law of social physics. They are referred to here merely to indicate the natu; 

 of the results, which could be reached by mathematical analysis if we were able t 

 discuss the interaction of moral and mental centers of action as astronomers di 

 cuss, approximately, the interaction of worlds. 



Not only are we unable to predict for an infinite future, on account of tl 

 summing up of disturbances which cannot be detected in a short time, with oi 

 means of investigation, but, as before suggested, events wholly unexpected to oi 

 partially instructed minds — apparent breaches of continuity-^are liable to happe 

 at any time. A tribe of savages, not acquainted with fire-arms, may acquire 

 loaded musket. In toying with it for a time they become famifiar with its appea 

 ance, and, as they think, with its properties. But some day they succeed in di 

 charging it, an event which they are powerless to bring about again by an exa< 

 repetition of the act which brought it about before. Who shall say that there ai 

 not hair triggers in the universe, upon which we may sometime stumble ? ^-" W 

 can imagine intelligent beings living on a world surrounded by an atmosphere ( 

 oxygen and hydrogen. So long as they were unacquainted with fire, they migl 

 live for ages in fancied security," studying the laws of the evolution of their work 

 and making wise predictions in regard to its future. But the production of a sir 

 gl« spark of fire would ignite their atmosphere, and wrap them in utter destru( 

 tion. "■ We know not at what moment immense, and to us, wholly unexpecte 

 energies may be called into action. Por all that our knowledge can tell, the vo 

 ume of human history may be finished during the next hour. A great explosio 

 on the sun may scorch us into cinders in a second. The earth may be dashec 

 to pieces and dissipated into gas, by collision with some immense meteorite 

 We may become involved in a nebulous atmosphere of combustible gas, whici 

 would ignite a moment later ; in fact, as was so eloquently pointed out by Mr 

 Babbage, there is no catastrophe too great, or too sudden, to be consistent witli 

 the reign of law, and the continuity of action." 



* bee J even's Principles of Science, 1877. pp. 742-748. 



