IG The Scojye and Principles 



This, then, is the conclusion of the evolution philosophy, 

 differing as widely from Materialism on the one hand as it 

 does from Idealism on the other: a conclusion, moreover, 

 to which we are compelled Ly an irresistible logic from no 

 basis of metaphysical assumption, but from data furnished 

 by science itself, reinforced by that ultimate criterion of 

 truth which bases the postulates of our reasoning upon the 

 inconceivability of their opposites. The ultimate data 

 botli for the scientific conclusions upon which the doctrine 

 of the Unknowable is based, and fur the laws of thought 

 under the operation of which it is logically established, are 

 given in experience, which is the final court to which the 

 evolutionist appeals. 



Philosophical agnosticism, it would appear, therefore, is 

 not identical with materialism ; it is not a cowardly i)liiloso- 

 phy Avhich refuses to think ; it is by no means to be confound- 

 ed Avith that crude liberalism which dogmatically denies God 

 and immortality. It is antagonistic neither to religion nor 

 to reason ; it is antagonistic only to those unvei'iiiable 

 assumptions dogmatically asserted as assured truths, which 

 transform religion into superstition, and philosophic reason- 

 ing into idle dreaming and unfruitful sjieculation. The 

 evolution ])hiloso])hy affirms the duty of thinking out all 

 intellectual problems to their idtimate conclusions, and 

 asserts the competence of reason to deal with the data 

 given in experience, throughout the entire phenomenal 

 universe of matter and of mind. The universe of matter 

 is infinitely knowable ; the realm of mind is infinitely 

 knowable. And in knowing mind and matter we know 

 tlie Infinite and Eternal Energy on which they depend, in 

 all its ])0ssible relations to our own consciousness. It is 

 tlic dnty of man to rise and trust his intellectual faculti(>s 

 in the investigation of all mattei's which come within the 

 scope of his intellect and understanding. All knowledge 

 which can ])Ossibly come within the range of onr faculties 

 is open to us ; hence then' is no real loss or j)rivati()n in 

 the conce])tion that the mind cannot ])enetrate behind the 

 veil oi' ])h('noiiiciia. 'I'hc supci-ticial appcaianccs of things, 



|iliysi<'iil ^ciciiccH rcHt, — incaiiinK tlicrcliy tluit " tlio lleality wliidi ])frsists 

 iii(lc|)<-ii(li-iitly <>t ilH " is constant in its rcliitioiis, and woulil always manifest 

 itscll i/.s ;;if///rr to a hi'int: cir l)cint:;s possessed r)l' a eoiisciolisness like luirs. 

 The idealistie eonceidion tliat material olijeets are creations of the in<livi(liial 

 eonseidUHnesH, and liavt^ no snlistiatnm of real existence wliieh endures vvlien 

 that conseiniisnoHS is no lontrer a<tive, is of course ini'oTisistent with all forms 

 of fcientillc reuliMin, and is tlienfore rejected liy tluM-volutionisi. 



