T. Lyman on Forces. 189 
There still remains the second way of looking at the course 
of nature: it is such as it is, and no reason therefor can be given. 
What is the exact meaning of this statement? Simply that the 
— of the doctrine resolves, so far as concerns the gaining 
of truth, to put trust in the testimony of his eyes, ears, touch, 
and other physical senses, and in nothing else. He isa strict 
positivist; he says: “I see x, feel y, and hear z; to me, then, 
@, y, and z exist as things seen, felt and heard, respectively. To 
me there is no causation, for o not directly perceive it. Lf 
believe in memory, it tells me what I have formerly seen; I be- 
lieve in the axiom, cogito ergo sum, because the very denial of 
thought implies the action of thought. My duty is to clearly 
understand and to tabulate all the observations I have made; 
but there it stops; I may make many inductions and may use 
them for convenience, but am not sure of them. One induc- 
tion tells me the sun will rise to-morrow: for my convenience I 
say it will; but of this Iam not sure; perhaps it will not:—it 
8a thing of the future and the future I cannot see. I attempt 
toexplain nothing :—yow attempt to explain, and you come to 
No certain results:—I am more modest. By my individual ob- 
servation I know certain things, and all other things are to me 
ouly as what may be. The earth may, or may not, turn again 
oh its axis; causation may, or may not, exist; there may, or 
may not, be a God.” 
_ The holder of this theory, when compared with the believers 
pAndred opinions, is, in a certain sense, consistent; because 
i only makes statements, which are true as far as they go; and 
%s hot attempt explanations, which must in the end prove un- 
ry. : gg 
given by consciousness, and are as reliable as any of its 
dl Thus, he acknowledges the motions of his voluntary mus- 
he of which he is conscious, but refuses to acknowledge his 
i haha to move them, or to leave them at rest, of w ich he 
80 conscious. We need go no further than the idea of z- 
= ‘ power, to find the whole trouble in this, and in many 
t theories,* 
Cn tat interest does a true conception of the ever-working 
hu hive Intellect give to science! “Phis correspondence of the 
Seay with the Divine mjnd! The astronomer works out, with 
Penell and paper, the possible answers to a certain problem of 
he For able Presentations of the doctrines of free-will and of necessity, consult 
been carried = Prof. Francis Bowen, and of J. 8, Mill. The idea of causation has 
its last analysis by Sir William Hamilton. 
