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same law of adaptation to objective reality whichhas controlled 
the history of animals. . This view of the conditions of our exist- 
ence puts science in its right place. As all sensations are 
symbols of external reality useful to guide organisms to teleo- 
logical reactions, so is all science symbolic and similarly useful. 
Nature never produces what to us seems a perfect organism, 
but only organisms which are provided with means of adjust- 
ment sufficient to accomplish the survival and perpetuation of 
the species. Man also is imperfect, but in the struggle for 
existence wins his way because his consciousness has greater 
resources than that of any other organism. His great power 
arises from his appreciation of evolution. His highest duty 
is to advance evolution, and this duty must be most strongly 
felt by those who accept the religious interpretation of life. 
The advancement of science is an obligation. To this view of 
the work of our Association I may safely claim the assent of all 
present. 
The function of science is to extend our acquaintance with 
the objective world. The purpose of the American Association 
is not alone to increase the sum total of science, but equally 
also to preach by word and precept the value of truth, truth 
being the correct conscious symbol of the objective, by utilising 
which our purposeful reactions are improved. The most serious 
obstacle truth encounters is the prevalence of what I may call 
‘doll ideas,”” by analogy with the material dolls with which 
children play. The child ‘‘ makes believe ” with the doll, know- 
ing all the time its unreality, assigns to it hopes, passions, appe- 
tites; the child may feel the intensest sympathy with its doll, 
weep at its sorrows, laugh over its joys, yet know always that 
it is a mere inanimate, senseless doll. Adult men and women 
have ideas, with which they play make-believe ; doll ideas, 
which they know are unreal, and yet they mourn sincerely over 
the adversities of their mental dolls, rejoice over their successes 
and fight for them with passion. Such doll ideas become 
mingled with the real and inextricably woven into the fabric 
of life. They are treated with the most earnest seriousness. 
Men will fight for them as a child will fight for its doll, not 
because it is property, but because it is sacred personality. So 
are doll ideas often made sacred and defended with fanaticism. 
Yet behind, in consciousness, is the sense of unreality, the dis- 
regarded admission of ‘making believe.” Do not doll-ideas— 
pseudo-opinions—play a great 70/e in human life ? I think they 
do, and thinking so, deem it all the more imperative that you 
and others should teach the people the standard of science, 
the humble acknowledgment of reality. I wish an impulse 
towards this goal from our Association could be imparted to 
every man and woman in the country, and I hope the 
Association may continue to grow in number and power for long 
years to come, as it has grown in the last few years, so that it 
shall be a national, all-pervading influence serving the truth. 
It seems to me inconceivable that the evolution of animals 
should have taken place as it actually has taken place, unless 
consciousness is a real factor and dominant. Accordingly, I hold 
that it actually affects the vital processes. There is, in my 
opinion, no possibility of avoiding the conclusion that conscious- 
ness stands in immediate causal relations with physiological 
processes. To say this is to abide by the facts, as at present 
known to us, and with the facts our conceptions must be made 
to accord. 
The thought which I wish to emphasise is the importance 
for the future investigation of consciousness of separating the 
study of what it does from the study of what it is. The latter 
study is recondite, metaphysical, and carries us far beyond the 
limits of verifiable huinan knowledge. The former study is 
open to us and offers opportunities to science, but it has hitherto 
been almost completely neglected. Biology has now to redeem 
itself by effectual researches on consciousness. On the adequate 
prosecution of such researches we base great hopes. 
Before I close, permit me a few words concerning the relations 
of consciousness to the body, to the living substance through 
which it manifests itself. It is intimately linked to protoplasm. 
Probably no question is so profoundly interesting to all mankind 
as the old question, What is the relation of the mind to the body ? 
It is a question which has been stated in many forms and from 
many points of view, but the essential object of the question is 
always the same, to ask whether consciousness is a function of 
living matter or something discrete and not physical or 
material. 
Throughout this address consciousness has been viewed as a 
device to regulate the actions of the organism so as to accomplish 
NC. 1708, VOL. 66] 
NATURE 
[JuLY 24, 1902 
purposes which on the whole are useful to the organism, and 
accordingly we have termed its function teleological. If this 
view is correct, it accounts for the limitations of consciousness, 
its mechanical mode of work, its precision and definiteness of 
action, for, of course, unless consciousness is orderly and obeys 
laws it cannot be of use to the organism, but, on the contrary, it 
would be harmful, and conscious animals would have ceased 
long ago to survive. The very fact that consciousness is of such 
high value in the bionomy of an animal renders it obvious that 
it must be subject to law. Accordingly it appears to us regulated 
as do the functions of protoplasm, hence to certain modern 
thinkers it presents itself as a function of protoplasm, or, as it 
may be better stated, as a state or condition of protoplasm. 
The internal evidence of consciousness, however, is against 
this view and presents to us conscious actions as depending 
upon the consciousness. As before stated, I believe this 
evidence must be accepted. Now all the sensations of con- 
sciousness are derived from physical force, and all the acts of 
consciousness are manifested through physical force, hence if it 
has any real power consciousness must be able to change the 
form of energy. Unless we accept this doctrine we must give 
up all belief in free-will and adopt the automaton theory of 
life. Is not the more reasonable explanation that which is based 
upon all the contents of our consciousness rather than that which 
we can draw only by discarding the internal evidence which con- 
scioushess brings us? The hypothesis which I offer for your 
consideration is this :— 
Consctousness has the power to change the form of energy, and 
is neither a form of energy nor a state of protoplasm. 
By this hypothesis there are two fundamentally different 
things in the universe—force and consciousness. You ask why 
I do not say three, and add matter? My answer is that we do 
not have, and never have had, any evidence whatever that matter 
exists. All our sensations are caused by force, and by force 
only, so that the biologist can say that our senses bring no evi- 
dence of matter. The concept ‘‘matter” is an irrational 
transfer of notions derived from the gross molar world of the 
senses to the molecular world. Faraday long ago pointed out 
that nothing was gained and much lost by the hypothesis of 
material atoms, and his position seems to me impregnable. It 
would be a great contribution to science to kill off the hypothesis 
of matter as distinct from force. 
To conclude, the universe consists of force and consciousness. 
As consciousness by our hypothesis can initiate the change of 
the form of energy, it may be that without consciousness the 
universe would come to absolute rest. Since I close witha bold 
speculation, let my last words recall to you that my text is :— 
Investigate consciousness by comparative observation. Only 
from observation can we know. Correct, intelligent, exhaustive 
observation is our goal. When we reachit, human science will 
be completed. 
NOTES. 
WE understand from recent Queensland newspapers that it 
has been determined to abolish the Weather Bureau of that 
colony as from the 30th ult., and that the services of Mr. C. L. 
Wiagge and his special staff have been dispensed with. In a 
letter addressed by the Premier of Queensland to the Federal 
Prime Minister it is pointed out that this apparently retrograde 
step is owing to the urgent necessity for reducing in every 
branch of the public service the estimates of expenditure of the 
State, and that it is one of the ‘most unfortunate” results of 
the large deficit in the revenue, brought about by drought and 
other causes. Prior to federation, the Weather Bureau formed 
part of the Post and Telegraph Department of Queensland, 
and all telegrams and correspondence passed free. But during 
the last fifteen months the Federal Government has charged for 
these communications at the rate of about gooo/. a year, which 
expense cannot be borne any longer by the Queensland Govern- 
ment. The Premier writes that he feels sure the States in 
general will welcome any reasonable suggestions for a continu- 
ance of the work of the Bureau under federal control ; we may 
therefore hope that the existing instruments and stations will 
be utilised, as far as practicable, in the interest of meteoro- 
