COSMIC PHILOSOPHY 



tation, therefore, in dealing with the aggrega- 

 tions of atoms and molecules, after the manner 

 of the chemical philosopher, or with attractive 

 and repulsive forces, after the manner of the 

 physicist, so long as we take care that the sub- 

 stance of our propositions has reference only 

 to verifiable coexistences and sequences among 

 phenomena. 



Another possible difficulty may be now more 

 summarily disposed of. If it be urged that to 

 frame a "generalization concerning the concrete 

 universe as a whole " is manifestly to transgress 

 the limits of sound philosophizing, since we can 

 never know but a tiny portion of the concrete 

 universe, and can never even know how much 

 there is that lies beyond our ken ; if such an ob- 

 jection be urged against the undertaking planned 

 in the present chapter, we may again appeal to 

 Newton as witness in our favour. The law of 

 gravitation is expressed in terms that are strictly 

 universal, — terms which imply that wherever 

 matter exists, be it a million times more remote 

 than the outermost limit of telescopic vision, 

 the phenomena of gravitation must be mani- 

 fested. Comte, indeed, questioned the legiti- 

 macy of extending the generalization beyond 

 the limits of the solar system. But his doubt, 

 which facts so soon refuted, was based on in- 

 adequate knowledge of the psychological aspect 

 of the case. Newton's hypothesis simply de- 

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