MONISM AND DUALISM. I/ 



solution only by means of Teleology, are, however, precisely 

 those which have been mechanically solved in the Theory 

 of Descent. The reconstruction of the history of the evolu- 

 tion of man, which this theory has effected, has actually 

 removed the greatest difficulties. We shall see in the 

 course of our inquiries how, through Darwin's reform of 

 the Doctrine of Evolution, the most wonderful problems, 

 hitherto deemed unapproachable, of the organization of 

 man and animals have admitted of a natural solution, of a 

 mechanical explanation, by non-purposive causes. It has 

 enabled us to substitute everywhere unconscious causes 

 acting from necessity, for conscious purposive causes. 11 



If the recent progress in the Doctrine of Evolution had 

 accomplished only this, every thoughtful person must have 

 admitted that even in this an immense advance had been 

 made in knowledge. In consequence of it, the tendency 

 called unitary or monistic, in contradistinction to the dual- 

 istic, or binary, which has heretofore prevailed in speculative 

 philosophy, must ultimately prevail throughout philosophy. 12 

 This is the point at which the history of the evolution of 

 man at once penetrates deeply into the very foundations 

 of philosophy. For this reason alone it is very much to be 

 desired, in fact is indispensable, that any one who aspires to 

 philosophic culture should learn the most important facts in 

 this field of research. 



The significance of the facts of Ontogeny is so great and 

 so evident that the dualistic teleological philosophy, finding 

 them extremely inconvenient, has of late endeavoured to 

 meet them by simple denial Such, for instance, has been 

 the case with the fact that every human being develops 

 from an egg, and that this egg is a simple cell, like the egg- 

 VOL. I. c 



