CHAPTER XXI. 



Kecapitulation. 



I now propose to summarize some of the more important con- 

 clusions arrived at in the preceding chapters. 



The various phenomena of nature are found to be definite 

 and regular in their sequences, the same results always follow- 

 ing upon the same conditions. Such being the case, we 

 speak of the conditions upon which a particular event always 

 follows as the cause of that event. 



There is a natural tendency for the mind to personify 

 " Cause," and to raise it to the dignity of a separate entity. 

 This probably results from the fact that we. finding ourselves 

 capable of voluntarily bringing about definite results, assume 

 that there must be in every event a somewhat similar causing 

 agency. Hence it was that primitive man referred the causa- 

 tion of the various natural phenomena to special Deities. 



When, however, we come to examine into the matter, we 

 find that causation is, in the last resort, a complete mystery 

 to us — belongs to the infinite region of nescience. By care- 

 fully observing the various sequences in nature, we are able to 

 formulate a number of laws concerning them — propositions, 

 namely, by which we can foretell the results of certain 

 conditions ; and, as we proceed in this inquiry, these laws 

 become more and more general — include in their sweep a wider 

 and wider range of phenomena. By thus grouping the various 

 sequences in Nature, our knowledge of them becomes more 

 and more profound, and we are said to ' ' explain " these 

 sequences — to clear up the mystery of causation. But as a 

 matter of fact the simplest sequence is a complete mystery to 

 us. Why one event follows upon another none can say. We 

 must rest content with the simple assertion of the fact. ' 



Happily, however, the psychological mystery attaching to 



