with the confirmation of the importance of empirical 

 investigations for science and its practical ' applications, 

 Lomonosov tirelessly showed the necessity of materialistic 

 explanations for all phenomena of nature. He rejected the 

 interference of the supernatural and underlined the 

 changeability of all existing things. ''And at least it must 

 not be attributed to miracles," he wrote at the beginning of 

 1760. In his work, "The first fundamentals of metallurgy or 

 mining," Lomonosov spoke in 1763 about the necessity of 

 historical study of natural bodies, and he caustically made 

 fun of the supporters of metaphysical opinions about the 

 unchangeability of any body of nature. 



It must be little understood that the visible corporeal 

 or terrestrial substances of the world are not in this 

 condition from the beginning of their creation. .. .but 

 that great changes took place in them .... Thus many 

 think wrongfully, that.... from the beginning the 

 creator built not only mountains, valleys and water, 

 but also the different kinds of minerals, and therefore, 

 it is not necessary to investigate the causes, for 

 their internal nature and different places of location. 

 These discussions are extremely harmful to the advance- 

 ment of all sciences ,.. .although it is easier to be a 

 clever man and philosopher by learning by heart three 

 words: "God thus built,' and giving them as the answer 

 for creation. 



16 



Simultaneously, Lomonosov sought the material structure 

 of all natural bodies. In "The course of true physical 

 chemistry," (1752 - 1754) he wrote the following: 



All bodies are divided into organic (organized) and 

 non-organic. The organic parts of bodies appear 

 interconnected so that all mutually united parts 

 have one casual origin.... We consider organic... 

 the natural bodies, namely animal and plant kingdoms 

 in which fibers, ducts, vessels, juices are known 

 and must be regarded as one whole. In addition, 

 although the organs of the animals and plants are 

 delicate, they are composed of smaller particles. 

 These are from the non-organic, i.e. from mixed 



16. Ibid . , p. 270. 



30 



