SCIENCE AND MIND 261 



Certain waves of air beat upon the drum of the ear 

 and in certain brain-cells produce a sensation of 

 sound, varying with the rapidity, amplitude, etc. of 

 the waves ; but the waves qua waves are quite silent, 

 and the vibration of the cells of hearing is silent, 

 and there is no evident connection between the 

 size or rate of waves of air and the consciousness 

 of sound. How is it ? 



Tyndall, in his famous Belfast Address, imagines 

 Bishop Butler arguing thus : " I can follow the 

 waves of sound until their tremors reach the water 

 of the labyrinth and set the otoliths and Corte's 

 fibres in motion ; I can also visualise the waves of 

 ether as they cross the eye and hit the retina. 

 Nay, more ; I am able to pursue to the central 

 organ the motion thus imparted at the periphery, 

 and to see in idea the very molecules of the brain 

 thrown into tremors. My insight is not baffled 

 by these physical processes. What baffles and 

 bewilders me is the notion that from these physical 

 tremors things so utterly incongruous with them 

 as sensation, thought, emotion can be derived. 

 You may say or think that this issue of conscious- 

 ness from the clash of atoms is not more incon- 

 gruous than the flash of light from the union of 

 oxygen and hydrogen, but I beg to say that it is. 

 For such incongruity as the flash possesses is that 

 which I now force upon your attention. The 



