THE PURPOSE OF LIFE 173 



known physical relations. One fact might still stand 

 outside our scheme the momentous fact of con- 

 sciousness. But let us even suppose the existence of 

 consciousness reduced to physical terms and shown 

 to follow certain collocations of matter and energy. 

 The whole internal relations of the Universe might 

 conceivably thus be reduced to order. Yet we should 

 still be driven to ask what was the meaning, origin 

 and end of the matter and energy which contain within 

 themselves such tremendous possibilities of develop- 

 ment, part of whose inherent necessities lead inevitably 

 to the evolution through long and divergent series 

 of organic forms to roses, to bees and to men. Why 

 should time and space be such as they are, or why 

 should such ideas be necessary to bring order into our 

 mental picture of phenomena ? Why should there 

 be matter and motion ? Why should there be forces 

 between molecules or within the aether ? Why should 

 a Universe exist at all, or come into being out of 

 nothingness ? Especially, why is there a Universe 

 which tends, if one may judge of it from that part we 

 know best, to the greatest possible development of 

 consciousness in the largest possible number of con- 

 scious beings ? 



Nothing is certain in science ; it can only be a 

 question of probability. But the probabilities in 

 favour of the solar system as we know it coming to 

 an end in time are very great. Consciousness in con- 

 junction with matter would then be wiped out, and 

 the whole process of organic evolution become vain. 



It might be answered that organic evolution might 

 go on in other systems though it ceased here. But 



