214 COSMIC PHILOSOPHY. [pt. l 



in some degree, of molecular physics and chemistry) to the 

 concrete phenomena presented by the heavenly bodies. The 

 universal law of gravitation is indeed an abstract law ; 

 it formulates a property of bodies. But it holds good of 

 terrestrial as well as of celestial phenomena: and its applica- 

 tion to either class of phenomena, in their actual compli- 

 cations, constitutes a concrete science. 



These are the considerations which irretrievably demolish 

 the Comtean classification, considered as an expression of the 

 true relations between the sciences. It appears that Comte 

 has intermingled three abstract sciences, — mathematics, 

 physics, and chemistry, — with three concrete sciences, — 

 astronomy, biology, and sociology. He was led into this 

 confusion by confounding the general with the abstract. But, 

 as Mr. Spencer has pointed out, these terms have different 

 meanings. "Abstractness means detachment from the incidents 

 of particular cases ; generality means manifestation in 

 numerous cases. On the one hand the essential nature of 

 some phenomenon is considered, apart from the pheno- 

 mena which disguise it. On the other hand, the frequency 

 of recurrence of the phenomenon, with or without various 

 disguising phenomena, is the thing considered. An abstract 

 truth is rarely if ever realized to perception in any one case 

 of which it is asserted. A general truth may be realized to 

 perception in all of the cases of which it is asserted. . . . 

 In other words, a general truth colligates a number of parti- 

 cular truths ; while an abstract truth colligates no particular 

 truths, but formulates a truth which certain phenomena all 

 involve, though it may be actually seen in none of them." ! 



Now there can be no question that if we were to substitute 

 the words general and special for the words abstract and 

 concrete, in the Comtean classification, that classification 

 would express, to a certain extent, a true distinction. No 

 doubt chemistry and biology are general sciences, while 

 1 Spencer, Classification of the Sc'cnccs, 1864, pp. 7 — 9. 



