18 PRESENT-DAY RATIONALISM 



the creed of Rationalists ; while Christian Theism, the 

 divinity, miracles and resurrection of our Lord are 

 regarded as utterly vain superstitions. 



That is the main position of the present-day Rational- 

 ism and the question is, Which is most probably right — 

 Rationalism or Christianity ? 



In considering this recrudescence of Rationalism, I 

 shall have to consider among others such important 

 matters as — the basis of Rationalism and Monism, the 

 origin of the world and life on earth, the evolution of 

 living things, Darwinism and Adaptation, till we come 

 to the Origin of Man. Then follows the sharp line of 

 demarcation between man and animals, seen in his 

 capability alone to entertain abstract ideas ; animals 

 being limited to objects of sense and reasonings upon 

 them. This leads to human psychology including the 

 Will or Volition and Automatism. Lastly is the sur- 

 vival of Man after Death. 



Throughout will appear, as occasion arises, inductive 

 evidence as to the existence of an Omnipotent, Conscious 

 Mind in Nature, or God. 



" Rationalism " is also known under the phrase " Ma- 

 terialistic Monism," with which Buchner adds " Material- 

 ism" as a synonym.^ 



In order to understand clearly what is meant by 

 Materialistic Monism, I will take Haeckel as the expon- 

 ent. He says : " All the different philosophical tendencies 

 may, from the point of view of modern science, be 

 ranged in two antagonistic groups ; they represent either 



1 Monism as a philosophical term is used in three if not more senses. 

 One is the matcrialhtic or that of Haeckel; the second is idealistic, 

 regarding all phenomena as spiritualistic, and the third is pantheistic, 

 neither mind nor matter being substantial, but both being referred to one 

 original substance. 



