THE 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
SEPTEMBER, 1884. 
I. “ ULTIMATE RELIGIOUS IDEAS.” 
THE ABSOLUTE, THE INFINITE, THE CAUSE. 
By S. Billing. 
R. SPENCER, in his work on first principles, title 
“ Ultimate Religious Ideas,” makes comments on 
the origin of the Universe, the Absolute, and on Re- 
ligious creeds. The arguments admit a few remarks. 
If we accept the rigid rules of Logic, thought itself is 
unthinkable, or at all events not understandable. In the 
article in question we are told — “ The atheistic theory is not 
only absolutely unthinkable, but even if it were thinkable 
would not be a solution.” As common sense understands 
Atheism it is the basis of the article from end to end. 
Before the article commences we are warned that “ Students 
of philosophy will find in them much that is more or less 
familiar ; and to most of those who are unacquainted with 
the literature of modern metaphysics they may prove some- 
what difficult to follow,” — i.e ., the hypotheses as interpreted 
by Mr. Spencer and his compeers. They appear capable of 
being followed by anyone at all conversant with the old 
school of metaphysics, but are quite as inappreciable, in the 
same sense, as the possibility of understanding that “Judg- 
ment ” is an “ altruistic sentiment .” No one would know, 
unless upon such high authority as a new school philosopher, 
that judgment was a sentiment, for it, by common consent and 
the general conception, is always considered to be a reasoned 
conclusion (see “ Mind,” No. 1). There does not appear, 
either in the argument or the ideas, much that is new. 
VOL. VI. (THIRD SERIES). 2 L 
