THE SCIENTIFIC CONGRESS OF 1863 163 



duction from the cell-state theory reaches a point 

 where ^^ science is incompetent," namely, "the 

 facts of consciousness." Taboo ! The path of 

 the scientific inquirer is barricaded. What follows 

 rests on no scientific grounds, but is a sort of 

 confession. Up to the present natural science 

 has not been able to say anything as to the real 

 nature, the locality, and the ground of conscious- 

 ness. "Hence I have always said that it is 

 wrong to refuse to recognise the peculiar character 

 of these facts of consciousness that dominate 

 our whole higher life, and to yield to the personal 

 craving to bring these facts of consciousness into 

 accord with an independent soul, a spiritual force, 

 and let the individual formulate his religious feeling 

 according to his conscience and disposition. That 

 is, I think, the point where science makes its com- 

 promise with the Churches, recognising that this is 

 a province that each can survey as he will, either 

 putting his own interpretation on it or accepting the 

 traditional ideas ; and it must be sacred to others." 

 The direction of the logic is clear enough. The 

 application of the cell-state theory to psychic life 

 must lead to the problem of consciousness. But 

 we must not follow it, because science has never 

 yet penetrated into this province. It is the pro- 

 vince of peaceful compromise with " the Church," 

 and we must respect it. 



It seems to me that the explanation is clear. 

 The whole field of conflict that Haeckel found 

 within the science of his time is opened out, though 

 Virchow was by no means disposed at that time to 



