COSMIC PHILOSOPHY 



chologlc analysis in striking contrast to the 

 weakness under which Comte laboured from his 

 neglect of such analysis. And it shows that 

 Comte's conception of the order of philosophic 

 evolution was entirely inadequate, and in the 

 most important point entirely erroneous. It 

 shows that the fundamental characteristic of 

 Positive Philosophy, as asserted by Comte and 

 as admitted by his followers, is the non-re- 

 cognition of the absolute and infinite Power 

 which is manifested in phenomena. Or, to use 

 Mr. Spencer's words, the essential principle of 

 Comte's philosophy is " an avowed ignoring 

 of Cause altogether. For if it is not, what be- 

 comes of his alleged distinction between the per- 

 fection of the positive system and the perfection 

 of the metaphysical system ? '* According to 

 Comte's own definition, the terminal concept 

 tion of the metaphysical system is that of a 

 single great Entity or Existence as the source 

 of all phenomena ; and since we have here 

 shown that this very conception is the final con- 

 ception in which science also must rest, the 

 only possible step in advance which can be 

 taken by Positivism is the elimination of this 

 conception altogether. Professor Huxley is 

 thoroughly justified, therefore, in describing the 

 name Positivism as implying a system of thought 

 which recognizes nothing beyond the observed 

 contents of phenomena : this description would 

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