THE QUESTION STATED 



ences ; for in the widest generalizations at which 

 these sciences have jointly arrived we must find, 

 if anywhere, the theorem which we desire. I 

 say "jointly," for in the deepest sense the sub- 

 ject-matter is the same, in molar physics, in 

 molecular physics, and in chemistry. All three 

 sciences deal, in one way or another, with the 

 most general laws of those redistributions of 

 matter and motion which are continually going 

 on throughout the knowable universe. The 

 first deals with the movements of masses ; the 

 second deals with movements of molecules, and 

 with the laws of aggregation of molecules that 

 are homogeneous ; the third deals with the laws 

 of aggregation of molecules that are heteroge- 

 neous. In either case the phenomena dealt with 

 are movements of matter, whether movements 

 of translation through space, or movements of 

 undulation among molecules, or movements 

 whose conspicuous symptom is change of physi- 

 cal state or of chemical constitution. The widest 

 theorems, therefore, which the three abstract- 

 concrete sciences can unite in affirming, must 

 be universal propositions concerning Matter 

 and Motion. 



Obviously it is in this region of science that 

 we must look for our primordial theorem. But 

 little reflection is needed to convince us that all 

 the truths attainable by the concrete sciences 

 must ultimately rest upon truths relating to 

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