TABLE OF CONTENTS 9 



XVII. DESIGN IN NATURE. 



Creation has proceeded upward — Temperature of the Sun during 

 millions of years — Comparative uniformity of climate during 

 geological time — Chemical laws to which matter is subject — 

 Many material conditions that must precede life — Elements that 

 are necessary for living beings— Certain relative quantities of the 

 elements are required — Poisonous elements locked up in harmless 

 compounds — Chance cannot account for the elements and their 

 quantities— Length of time in creating does not affect design — 

 Design shown in the structure and powers of man — Time in- 

 volved does not affect design — Design shown in man's relations 

 to things — Beauty, evidence of design — Moral nature of man, 

 evidence of design — Prevalence of law indicates design — Design 

 shown in plants, animals and minerals — Every organism adapted 

 to its environment — Objections : Rudimentary organs — Things 

 that at one time seem useless become useful. , . . 272-300 



XVIII. EVIL AND ALTRUISM IN NATURE. 



Evil is suffering — Capacity to suffer necessary for protection — 

 Suffering arises from violating the laws of nature — The laws of 

 nature are necessary and beneficent — That the ignorant suffer, 

 and the innocent, justifiable — Man responsible for much suffer- 

 ing — Appetites and passions good if properly governed — Capacity 

 for pleasure and pain increase together — Much more pleasure 

 than pain in life — Altruism in nature. . . . 301-310 



XIX. AGNOSTICISM. 



Belief that space is all alike and infinite — Spencer's claim that 

 "Space and Time are wholly incomprehensible" — "Mental im- 

 ages " not the ultimate basis of our knowledge — Spencer's recon- 

 ciliation of religion and science — Agnosticism — Religion and 

 science occupy different fields — Concerning miracles — not viola- 

 tions of law — Creed of the Agnostic — Agnosticism not ad- 

 apted to man — Spencer's views of existing religions — Incon- 

 sistency of Spencer's views — Christianity and Agnosticism con- 

 trasted. ........ 311-329 



XX. RECAPITULATION. 



Chemical laws — Energy of the universe and its dissipation — Dynam- 

 ical theory of things insufficient — Spontaneous generation not 

 proved — Natural selection and objections to — Little progress in 

 structure among animals generally — Long survival of many 

 forms — Embryology and special objections — Rudimentary organs 

 and secondary^ sexual differences — Instincts of bees and birds — 

 Psychic differences between men and animals — Mind the control- 

 ing power. ....... 330-343 



