Thoughts on Causality. 



251 



covers in the supreme entity which we have disclosed, the 

 sufficient ground for its authority and basis for its hopes. 



Let me now attempt, in a concise manner, by way of 

 recapitulation, to draw out in historical order, the steps 

 and circumstances in the genesis and constitution of our 

 notion of causation in the existing universe. 



1. We dismiss the consideration of all secondary causa- 

 tion. The phrase is a misnomer. There is no real cause 

 which can be disclosed as an effect ; first cause is only cause. 

 That must be an intelligent spontaneity and must act with- 

 out intermediation or ''instrumental causation." 



2. The notion of causation implies correlative subjectivity 

 and objectivity — a thing acting and a thing acted upon — 

 a causative spontaneity and a possibility of its action other- 

 wise than in and upon itself. In all causation, except a 

 primordial creative act, objectivity is a reality — in primor- 

 dial creation it is a potentiality. This dual necessity of 

 subjective agent and objective possibility of effect, implies, 

 in every case of actual causative effort, a differentiation of 

 active and passive existence; and hence renders irrational 

 the theory of " monism " and its corollary " pantheism " 

 under all its aspects. 



3. The subject must be self conscious — conscious of its 

 own existence and power of determination. This necessity 

 is the ground of "personality;" and it implies that the 

 subject is a " free agent." 



4. The subject must form a concept of an effect — a thing 

 not yet existing or an event not yet enacted. 



5. The subject must be conscious of the relation between 

 effect and cause — the intuition of causality must arise in 

 the consciousness. This intuition certainly embraces the 

 notion of efficiency and adequacy ; and, in all case3 of in- 

 termediate causation, it implies also, that the effect must 

 be congeneric with its cause. In intermediate causation 

 we have merely a given energy transmitted — no new 



