Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy Based on the Doctrines of Evolution, with Criticisms on the Positive Philosophy, Volume 1
Houghton, 1890 - Evolution
|
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Absolute abstract admit aggregate animals antecedent anthropomorphic assert astronomy become biology body causation cause chapter chemical chemism chemistry classification complete Comte Comte's conceive conception concerning conclusion concrete sciences consciousness Cosmic Cosmic Philosophy Cosmism Descartes differentiation distinct doctrine earth evolution existence experience fact follows fundamental gravitation groups heat Hegel heterogeneity human Hume hypothesis illustration induction inference inquiry integration Kant less logical manifested mass matter and motion ment metaphysical Mill mind molar molar motion molecular motion molecular physics molecules moon nature nebular nebular hypothesis never nitrogen objective observation orbit order of phenomena organic origin particles pheno physics planetary planets Plato Positive Philosophy Positivism possible present principle proposition regarded relations relativity of knowledge result rhythm rotation scientific scientific methods sequence solar nebula solar system Spencer subjective method surface synthesis terrestrial theorems theory things thinkers thought tion truth universe Uranus velocity verified volition
Popular passages
Page 347 - Evolution is an integration of matter and concomitant dissipation of motion, during which the matter passes from an indefinite, incoherent homogeneity to a definite, coherent heterogeneity ; and during which the retained motion undergoes a parallel transformation.
Page 82 - Not a step can be taken towards the truth that our states of consciousness are the only things we can know, without tacitly or avowedly postulating an unknown something beyond consciousness. The proposition that whatever we feel has an existence which is relative to ourselves only, cannot be proved, nay cannot even be intelligibly expressed, without asserting, directly or by implication, an external existence which is not relative to ourselves.
Page 73 - It is a mere abstraction, he says. If it is unknown, unknowable, it is a figment, and I will none of it; for it is a figment worse than useless ; it is pernicious, as the basis of all atheism. If by matter you understand that which is seen, felt, tasted, and touched, then I say matter exists : I am as firm a believer in its existence as any one can be, and herein I agree with the vulgar.
Page 151 - ... will give rise to new effects, accompanying or succeeding one another in some particular order, which order will be invariable while the causes continue to coexist, but no longer. The motion of the earth in a given orbit round the sun, is a series of changes which follow one another as antecedents and consequents, and will continue to do so while the sun's attraction, and the force with which the earth tends to advance in a direct line through space, continue to co-exist in the same quantities...
Page 73 - He therefore sided with the vulgar, who recognise no distinction between the reality and the appearance of objects, and repudiating the baseless hypothesis of a world existing unknown and unperceived, he resolutely maintained that what are called the sensible shows of things are in truth the very things themselves...
Page 7 - Absolute cannot, as such, be a cause. The cause, as such, exists only in relation to its effect ; the cause is a cause of the effect ; the effect is an effect of the cause. On the other hand, the conception of the Absolute implies a possible existence out of all relation. We attempt to escape from this apparent contradiction, by introducing the idea of succession in time. The Absolute exists first by itself, and afterwards becomes a Cause. But here we are checked by the third conception, that of...
Page 12 - The very conception of consciousness, in whatever mode it may be manifested, necessarily implies distinction between one object and another. To be conscious, we must be conscious of something; and that something can only be known, as that which it is, by being distinguished from that which it is not.
Page 236 - But because the abstraction of heat causes the molecules of a body to approach each other, it is not safe to infer that, if all the heat were abstracted, the molecules would be in complete contact. This is a more or less plausible guess, not a true induction. "For since we neither know how much heat there is in any body, nor what is the real distance between any two of its particles, we cannot judge whether the contraction of the distance does or does not follow the diminution of the quantity of...
Page 157 - Our will causes our bodily actions in the same sense (and in no other) in which cold causes ice, or a spark causes an explosion of gunpowder.
Page 313 - Hence, wherever we now find Being so conditioned as to act on our senses, there arise the questions — how came it thus conditioned ? and how will it cease to be thus conditioned ? Unless on the assumption that it acquired a sensible form at the moment of perception, and lost its sensible form the moment after perception, it must have had an antecedent existence under this sensible form, and will have a subsequent existence under this sensible form. These preceding and succeeding existences under...