184 COSMIC PHILOSOPHY, [fi. il 



might have been committed by a Washington or a Bon^oraeo. 

 Obviously there would be little use in laboriously schooling 

 our desires to virtue, if at any moment in spite thereof, some 

 uncaused volition might bring forth from us a detestable 

 deed. It is therefore not the doctrine of causation, but the 

 so-called free-will doctrine, that, if true, would " put an end 

 to self-exertion," and deprive us of every "rule of right 

 action." Since self-control, and therefore liberty, is impossible 

 unless volition is determined by desire; it is the latter 

 doctrine — not the former — which is really inconsistent with 

 the assertion of human freedom, which takes from us the 

 dignity of responsibility, and makes man the sport of a 

 grotesque and purposeless chance. 



In truth, the immediate corollaries of the free-will doc- 

 trine are so shocking not only to philosophy but to common- 

 sense, that were not accurate thinking a somewhat rare 

 phenomenon, it would be inexplicable how any credit should 

 ever have been given to such a dogma. This is but one of 

 the many instances, in wdiich by the force of words alone, 

 men have been held subject to chronic delusion. The 

 libertarian doctrine has obtained currency because it hats 

 talked loudly of human freedom, with which nevertheless a 

 brief analysis proves it to be incompatible. Substitute for 

 the unmeaning phrase " freedom of the Will," the accurate 

 phrase "lawlessness of volition," and the theory already 

 looks less plausible. In place of the vague and ambiguous 

 word *' necessity," w^rite the clear and definitely-connotative 

 word " causation," and tlie scientific theory at once loses its 

 imaginary terrors. The titles with which the free-will doc- 

 trine decorates itself, and those with which it brands its 

 opponent, are alike " question-begging epithets." They serve 

 to prejudge the point at issue. 



I^ot content with the overwhelming prestige which its 

 name thus gives it, the free-will doctrine seeks to follow 

 up its advantage by identifying its antagonist with Asiatic 



