DEFINITIONS AND FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONS. 467 
ported. If such a state of mind is more desirable than the carping, self-sufficient spirit, 
that scorns all external mental illumination, and tests the sunlight of eternal verities by 
the dim glimmer of its own flickering taper, I may reasonably ask for friendly criticisms 
on an attempt to determine some of the primary laws of relation, as well as for the co- 
operation of those who are interested in the development of those laws, and the determi- 
nation of their consequences. 
CHAPTER LI. 
DEFINITIONS AND FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONS. 
1. ScrencE is knowledge based on belief; Farrm is belief based upon revealed know- 
ledge.* 
2. Every object of human inquiry is an object either of Science or of Faith. 
3. Belief is either absolute or relative. 
4. Absolute belief is fundamental, simple, primary, necessary, independent, and irre- 
sistible. All absolute or self-evident beliefs are revelations from God,f being implanted 
in us by the Creator. 
5. Relative belief is derivative, complex, subordinate, contingent, dependent, and de- 
batable. Every relative belief is, however, the necessary resultant of all the data on which 
it is based, and all men would think alike wnder the same circumstances.t 
6. The sphere of knowledge is more extensive than that of absolute belief, embracing 
not only all primary, self-evident truths, but also every logical inference from absolute or 
indisputable premises. 
7. Relative belief transcends knowledge, for it embraces inferences of every kind, 
whether logical or illogical, from premises true or false, together with all the convictions 
of feeling, and all the tenets of faith. 
* Plato, Republic, B. 6, pp. 510-511, speaks of four different operations of the mind (guy%) : intelligence 
(venots), demonstration (dtavora), faith (xtorec), and conjecture (cizacia). 
+ Descartes appears to have been the first metaphysician who introduced into philosophy the evident truth, so 
beautifully expressed by Job, that men can acquire no knowledge except as “the inspiration of the Almighty 
giveth them understanding.” ‘ 
{ Among the “circumstances”’ that determine erroneous belief, are improper assumption of premises, unde- 
tected fallacy, diseased mental action, ignorance or oversight of important facts, misunderstanding, hasty conclu- 
sion, defective generalization, wrong estimate of data. When men understand each other, they always agree in 
what they 4now, and they either harmonize in belief, or perceive that they would do so if they occupied the same 
standpoint. 
