MATTER AND SPIRIT 



the doctrine of relativity. From this masterly 

 statement it appears that while the Inscrutable 

 Power manifested in the world of phenomena 

 cannot possibly be regarded as quasi-material 

 in its nature, it may nevertheless be possibly 

 regarded as quasi-psychical. Were we com- 

 pelled to choose between these two alternatives, 

 the latter would be the one which we must per- 

 force adopt. For besides the general reason here 

 indicated for such preference, there would in 

 such case be presented the more special reason, 

 that upon no imaginable hypothesis of evolution 

 (if the foregoing analysis be correct) can units 

 of Mind be regarded as produced by the collo- 

 cations of units of Matter. Were we constrained 

 to such a treatment of the subject, we should 

 be forced to admit that the actual existence of 

 psychical energy, as a phenomenon essentially 

 distinct from physical energy, implies, as its 

 antecedent source, something quasi-psychical in 

 the constitution of things. 



A third alternative, however, remains open. 

 Since we know nothing even of Mind, save as 

 qualitatively differentiated from Matter, under 

 the persistent conditions by which conscious 

 activity is limited, it is open to us to maintain 

 that the Unknown Reality which is manifested 

 under both aspects cannot legitimately be formu- 

 lated in terms of either aspect. The uncondi- 

 tioned Source of the phenomena which we dis- 

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