AGNOSTICISM 313 



inan needs for any legitimate intellectual purpose. 

 Logic does not make the facts with which she deals. 

 There are certain primary facts that must be accepted 

 as true before logic can have any material with which 

 to work. 



Many of our " insurmountable beliefs " are formed 

 without reference to any logical process, and they are 

 in no wise dependent on reason for their existence ; 

 nor can we form any mental picture as to the exact 

 methods by which these beliefs are produced. 



If we are required to form a " mental image " of 

 infinite space before we can count our belief as knowl- 

 edge, then it must be admitted that we fail, and that 

 our belief is a phantom. It is also evident that if we 

 can accept nothing but mental images as knowledge, 

 then we have no claim to any valid knowledge what- 

 ever; for our knowledge consists of mental condi- 

 tions, the formation of which we are totally unable 

 to form a " mental image " of. 



It is not for reason to say that because she cannot 

 understand and explain the methods by which the 

 other faculties are enabled to do their work, therefore 

 their conclusions are illegitimate and to be banished 

 from the realm of knowledge. 



Notwithstanding Mr. Spencer's statement that we 

 are in "total ignorance" as to the objectivity of 

 time and space, yet practically he is obliged to pro- 

 ceed as if his "total ignorance" and "insurmount- 

 able belief" were valid knowledge. Practically we 

 must act from data that cannot be compassed by logic 

 and reason. 



Time and space are objective realities, and the be- 

 lief that they are infinite is as firmly fixed as is the 

 belief that they are objective. We do not need to 

 comprehend the infinite before we may legitimately 

 declare its existence and its quality. 



