SCIENCE 385 



Now memory informs us with absolute certainty as to 

 some events of our own past history. But such events are 

 beyond our present experience, therefore they have a 

 truth which extends back beyond any present feeling we 

 have. They are realities existing in addition to our 

 present feelings, and they are therefore " objective. " 

 Thus memory, insomuch as it reveals to us part of our 

 own past, reveals to us what is "objective," and so 

 actually introduces us into the realm of objectivity, shows 

 us more or less of " objective " truth, and carries us into 

 a real world which is beyond the range of our present 

 feelings. This power which memory has of thus lifting 

 us, as it were, out of our present selves and showing us 

 such facts, is certainly a very wonderful power ; and yet 

 its existence must be admitted, at the price of otherwise 

 falling into a most absurd and idiotic scepticism which 

 would deprive us of all power, not only of reasoning 

 with others, but of having any rational perceptions 

 ourselves. The moment lasts but a moment. If we 

 could not know with certainty more than the passing 

 moment, we could not really know even that. We could 

 know nothing. 



As to necessary truths, if we were to doubt about the 

 "law of contradiction," we could again be certain of 

 nothing. If we would rise from such intellectual 

 paralysis we must accept that dictum as it presents itself 

 to our minds ; and that dictum declares that nothing can 

 both be and not be ; e.g., that no creature, anywhere and 

 anywhen, can, at the same time, be both bisected and 

 entire. As to the " law of causation," its doubt or 

 denial would annihilate physical science, and also, as 

 we have seen,* would involve a denial of the law of 



* See ante, p. 379. 



2 B 



