CHAPTER IX. 

 POSTULATES OF EVOLUTION. 



THE Evolution Philosophy requires as its basis 

 certain postulates, without which it cannot be 

 constructed. We shall inquire what these postulates 

 are, and subject them to a critical examination with 

 a view to test their validity. If they are questioned, 

 the entire system is questioned ; if they are rejected,, 

 the entire system falls to pieces. 



1. The theory of Evolution presupposes, as its 

 primal conception, the cosmos coming into the view 

 of science as a force homogeneous or nearly homo- 

 geneous. We cannot take a step forward until we 

 have first assumed the existence of a force, described 

 by Mr. Spencer also as a " mass," in a state of homo- 

 geneity or something very nearly approaching that 

 condition. The more nearly this first force approxi- 

 mates to a perfect homogeneity, the more complete 

 wilj be the unification of knowledge. Every trace of 

 heterogeneity accepted in our primal concept, marks 

 a breach of continuity and is evidence that the unity 

 aimed at is not perfect. 



Let us examine this conception, that we may 



