AUTHOR OF "IDEALISM: AN ESSAY METAPHYSICAL AND CRITICAL

i

LONDON

C. KEGAN PAUL & CO., 1, PATERNOSTER SQUARE

1881

ON THE CREATION AND GOD.

§ 1. Whence came the physical worlds?

2. Answer of Science (1) Of Laplace and Kant; (2), of Sir W.

Thomson and Helmholtz

...

...

3

5

15

21

25

3. Origin of life, according to Haeckel: spontaneous generation

4. Origin of species, according to Darwin: natural selection

5. Chance the chief characteristic in the process of natural selection

6. Natural selection as a scientific hypothesis, how far proved. Its

great significance in a theological, philosophical, and ethical

reference

7. Natural selection dispenses with Design in the process of

...

...

...

32

35

Evolution

8. Gives a new and sinister solution of the problem of evil. Science

optimistic in spite of the struggle for existence. Modern

pessimism and evolution

9. A Creator, postulated by Darwin, set aside by Haeckel

10. Real issue raised by the doctrine of evolution,-Whether Chance

or Purpose made and rules the world

CHAPTER II.

...

ON MAN AND HIS DEVELOPMENT.

3. The development of the human species. Has been by a series of

great individuals rather than by natural selection and in-

heritance

§ 4. The preceding proved of man during historic as well as pre-
historic time

...

5. The initiative and influence of great individuals a force travers-
ing the law of natural selection

6. In what direction the further development of humanity tends
7. Concession to the pessimist. Happiness, though possible, mostly
missed. Causes of this

CHAPTER III.

ON HUMAN NATURE AND ITS CAPACITIES FOR VIRTUE.

2. Chief cause of the failure of the masters of morals-want of

scientific knowledge. Man, as shown by psychology, physio-

logy, and natural history

87

...

3. Man fundamentally an animal, self-conserving and moved by

sense far-reaching ethical consequences of these facts, and

particularly of the former. The struggle for existence within

the human species

...

4. Man also a social animal: ethical consequences of this fact. Love

for others the happiest feat of evolution. Influence of

religious founders in its development

5. Origin of the feeling in the primitive man. How far it admits of

natural explanation

6. The "love of humanity," and "the greatest happiness of the

greatest number." How far the former is a possible feeling,

or the latter a practicable or proper aim. Testimony of

psychology, experience, and the great writers on the former

point

...

7. The love of humanity and the struggle for existence as exem-

plified in nations, classes, individuals

...

8. The love of our species real and possible in the sense of a love of

certain individuals as representatives of the whole and re-

deemers of its unlovable units

115

...

9. Defect in the ethical system of Kant

CHAPTER IV.

ON FREE-WILL, AND MAN'S AUTOMATISM.

§ 1. Ethical significance of the free-will controversy

2. Theory of the man-machine, with consciousness superadded as
spectator

3. Portion of truth in the theory. Futility and irrelevance of the

theory

4. Theory of Mill and Bain: our volitions determined by conscious

motives referring to pleasure and pain

5. Substantial truth of the theory. Corrections suggested. Con-

scious motives governed by unconscious causes. Variation in

the strength of conscious motive apparently the same

§ 6. Our actions: how far from automatic and unconscious, how far

from conscious causes. Analysis of the possible kinds of

causes allows no room for free-will

...

7. Logical consequence of free-will,-involves the miracle of the

creation of force or energy

8. The power of improving our character does not imply free-will

9. Merit and demerit, how far affected by the motive theory

10. Is punishment justifiable on this theory?

...

PAGE

130

133

136

139

141

146

...

11. Practical freedom-the freedom to pursue desired ends-un.
touched by the theory ...

CHAPTER V.

ON IMMORTALITY.

§ 1. Verdict of Science: of the physicist, the physiologist, and the

naturalist

...

150

...

2. Metaphysical theories of the soul. Arguments in favour of its

immortality. Theological theories of the soul. Immortality

a revelation, not an inference of reason

3. Scientific arguments against a future life: (1) From physiology

4. (2) From the Darwinian theory of descent. Natural origin and

history of the belief in a future life. (3) From evolution in

general; because the human species and all species will dis-

appear, and because the earth itself shall perish

CHAPTER VI.

ON IMMORTALITY: COUNTERTHESIS.

§ 1. Objections, other than theological, to the scientific arguments :
(1) Of the spiritualist; (2) of the mystic. Reply of Positive
Science to each

2. (3) Of the universal human heart founded on the desire to meet
again our loved ones. Reply of Science
3. Review of discussion. What Science has proved, what failed to
prove. A future existence possible without memory of the past.
Belief of greatest philosophers and poets. Why opinion of
great poets is important. Belief of Shakespeare and Goethe;
belief of Kant. Conclusions of Kant and Goethe specially
noteworthy because they were also men of science

4. Conclusion maintained: that further conscious existence is
possible, that existence other than consciousness, and perhaps
better, is also possible. Is annihilation possible?

...

5. Is the future one of rewards and punishments? How far virtue

and vice have received their wages on earth. Possible objec-

tions to conclusion

182

188

193

197

6. Recapitulation: how far a scientific philosophy can believe in a

future life