SCIENCE AND DEATH 273 



says he sees with his eyes ; but Science asserts that 

 sight is further back, and believes that it is in certain 

 brain-cells. " Further hack stilly'' says Philosophy, 

 since these cells which are supposed to see can 

 themselves be seen, and consist, after all, only of a 

 bundle of subjective sensations. 



Such a mess and a muddle Science and Philo- 

 sophy make of it between them ; yet out of the 

 mess and the muddle of contradictions certainly 

 springs the hope of immortality ; for we at least 

 discern quite plainly that the whole thing is a great, 

 inexplicable mystery, and that the logic of science 

 is too superficial to solve the problem of conscious- 

 ness and immortality. The question is at least 

 left open — Science herself must admit that her 

 methods are not infallible ; and if the question 

 is left open, then Faith, and Love, and Beauty 

 settle it in a moment, and we know that beyond 

 this strange thing called death there is immortal 

 life. 



Death should be to men a beautiful hope, and 



not a fear. It cannot be the end. The scientific 



logic that would say so is easily refuted by 



philosophy, and philosophy can easily go further ; 



it can show that when we talk of beginnings and 



ends of consciousness we talk nonsense. Birth and 



death are only finite terms, useful enough for the 



finite judgments required in everyday life ; but 



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