ANALYSIS OF CONTENTS. XIX 



PAGE 



tilings, and so involving a sort of teleology. § 7. But 

 in what sense is a history an explanation ? The three 

 results of historical explanations, an inexplicable datum, 

 a passing into something else, or an origination out of 

 nothing, and, § 8, ultimately they all resolve into the 

 last. ,^ 9. The logical necessity of this process illus- 

 trated by evolutionist theories, and §§ 10-12 most com- 

 pletely by Mr. Cr jokes' theory of protJiyle^ and of the 

 genesis of the elements. § 13. Does it refer to a 

 historical event or assert an eternal process? If the 

 latter, the mechanical cosmogony of evolutionism would 

 be complete. ^14. But prothyle is indistinguishable 

 from nothing. The genesis and dissolution of atoms a 

 couple of miracles. §15. Hence historical evolutionism 

 must be supplemented by metaphysics, and it must 

 be admitted, ^16, that it is really successful only when 

 it derives the actual from its germ or potentiality, as 

 explained by Aristotle. § 17. Though in Time the 

 potential comes first, metaphysically the actual is prior. 

 ^18. So prothyle, as the pure potentiality of the whole 

 phenomenal world, implies a prior actuality, i.e.^ a 7ion- 

 phenomenal cause of its evolution, and so a transcendent 

 Deity becomes necessary, of whose purpose the world- 

 process is the working out. And as its earlier stages are 

 more remote from that purpose, the true significance of 

 things lies in their end, and all explanation is ultimately 

 teleological. § 19. The necessity of teleology is also 

 derivable from the analysis of the conception of a pro- 

 cess, for, § 20, a process is necessarily7^;«V<?, and so the 

 w^orld, if it is in process, must have a beginning and an 

 end in Time, with reference to which fixed points all 

 events must be arranged teleologically. § 21. But this 

 teleology does not lend itself to abuse by human con- 

 ceit, nor is it incompatible with scientific mechanism, 

 which it supplements but does not supersede, being 

 itself based on scientific data. § 22. Yet it can only 

 gradually work down to the lower facts. § 23. The 

 process can not be everlasting, nor, § 24, alternate in 

 cycles. This idea due (i) to the difficulty of grasping 

 the reality of progress, and to the confusion of our 

 world with the totality of existence, and (2) to ignorance 

 of the nature of eternity. § 25. Summary. 



