Baer wrote: "... The limited minds cherished the hope, or 

 rather expressed the apprehension, that the limits of human 

 knowledge will soon be achieved. The idea is cowardly, 

 unworthy of the endless productivity of the human intelli- 

 gence."^ 



The attention of many authors, attempting to interpret 

 Baer's viewpoints either from orthodox theological and 

 idealistic positions, or from materialistic positions, was 

 mainly attracted by by his discussion concerning purpose in 

 nature in general and in particular in the organic world. 

 Baer illustrated these questions in two vast articles pub- 

 lished in the second volumes of his REDEN UND KLEINERE 

 AUFSATZE. In order to form a presentation of Baer's 

 real views on the problem of purpose, especially in indi- 

 vidual development, it is necessary to turn to the articles 

 mentioned and look at the details of their terminology. 

 Only then will it be possible to attempt to determine what 

 arises from Baer's spontaneous materialism and what amid 

 the health of his ideas must be considered idealistic slag. 



The first of these articles is called "On Purpose in the 

 Phenomena of Nature. "1? It begins with the assertion that 

 naturalists are extremely worried about the recognition of 

 purpose in the processes and products of nature. In order 

 to make this account completely clear, Baer considered it 

 necessary to come first to an understanding about the applica- 

 tion of the concept. He began with the word "nature," which 

 means all that really exists and arises without the participa- 

 tion of human skill. The last is especially important to 

 bear in mind, because all that exists was placed, was made 

 through formation as it is presently. The solid rock as 

 well as the changing cloud are both the results of a develop- 

 ment process. But the correctness of this idea is especially 

 confirmed by organic bodies, which are present in a condition 

 change. The present condition of an organism became possible 



16. Baer, "View of the Development of Science," p. 194. 



17. Baer, "Uber den Zweck in den Vorgangen der Natur. 

 Erste Abtheilung: Uber Zweckmassigkeit Oder 

 Zielstrebigkeit uberhaupt," REDEN, II, p. 49-105. 



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