Stoney — Natural Science and Ontology. 523 



the first order formed by working up sensations in the way described on pp. 

 493 and 494, or natural objects, which are syntheta of the second order formed 

 by compacting certain groups of actual and possible perceptions together, and 

 attributing (by a most useful act of hypothesis) a non-egoistic existence to the 

 structures so formed.] 



Tekmerion (plural tekmeria). For definition see pp. 479 and 490. [In 

 modern human minds the tekmerion is a perception (see p. 491, also Diagram I., 

 p. 484.) The term perception does well enough when we need only to consider it 

 in its relation to the phenomenal object made up of it and other perceptions, but 

 the term tekmerion is to be preferred whenever we want to bring into prominence 

 the relation in which it stands to its cause.~\ 



Thought. For definition see p. 489. 



Totality. For definition see p. 489. 



Universe- For definition see p. 489. [For the definition of sense-compel- 

 ling universe see lower down on the same page.] 



POSTSCRIPT. 



The further inquiry in regard to causation which is suggested 

 on p. 514 should, 1 if sufficiently complete, involve an examination 

 of time relations with a view to ascertaining, if possible, what 

 they actually are. One episode in this inquiry has been attempted 

 by the Author in a paper on " Curious consequences of a well- 

 known Dynamical Theorem," published in these Proceedings (vol. v., 

 p. 448), and reprinted in the Philosophical Magazine for June, 1887, 

 p. 544. 



A study of memory bears directly on this inquiry, and a great 

 step will be gained if it ever becomes possible to ascertain the 

 protheta of human memory — the changes of the brain which 

 accompany the revival of thoughts recollected, and how these 

 differ from the protheton of the original thought, as also the con- 

 dition of the brain during the interval between the original 



1 Since simultaneity is one of the conditions of causation. 



SCIEN. PROC. R.D.S. — VOL. VI., PART IX. 2 R 



