36 From Matter to Man. 



Some scientists also endeavour to discover what 

 matter is from the point of view of a matterless being, 

 even as metaphysicians endeavour to discover what 

 mind is from the point of view of an eviscerated brain. 

 Both of them are but speculations for bedlam. Thus 

 Professor Tait alleges that " a knowledge of what 

 matter is in itself 'is probably unattainable by man."* 

 It is not probably but utterly unattainable by man, 

 for the very meaning of human knowledge is the 

 relation of things to man or to other things known 

 to man. 



A knowledge of what matter is in itself, would 

 involve a knowledge of what matter is to itself or to 

 something not matter. Equally absurd questions 

 would be, What is sight to itself, hearing to itself, of 

 taste to itself? 



What man actually requires is a knowledge of what 

 matter is to him. What its relations, properties and 

 conditions are, and wherein any condition of it is 

 distinguishable from any other condition. On this 

 subject he can speak with authority, for he, as matter, 

 is matter's own spokesman. As to the extent of his 

 knowledge, nature ever teaches him that which he is 

 fit to understand ; but the wise man of to-day is ever 

 the fool of to-morrow. What matter is to us will be 

 given in due sequence. 



It is said to-day that "the most daring conception 

 of the structure of the universe that has entered into 



* Properties of Matter, p. 1 8. Also Clerk Maxwell in Appendix to 

 same, p. 304. 



