PRODUCTION AND ITS LAW.
"[Greek: Polla ta deina, kouden anthrôpou deinoteron pelei.]"
Sophocles, _Antigone_.
"These be the two parts of natural philosophy,--the inquisition of
causes, and the production of effects; speculative, and operative;
natural science, and natural prudence." Bacon's _Advancement of
Learning_. Book II.
"The perception of real affinities between events (that is to say, of
_ideal_ affinities, for those only are real), enables the poet to make
free with the most imposing forms and phenomena of the world, and to
assert the predominance of the soul.
"Whilst thus the poet animates nature with his own thoughts, he
differs from the philosopher only herein, that the one proposes Beauty
as his main end; the other Truth," Emerson. _Idealism._
"The question of questions for mankind--the problem which underlies
all others, and is more deeply interesting than any other--is the
ascertainment of the place which Man occupies in nature and of his
relations to the universe of things. Whence our race has come; what
are the limits of our power over nature, and of nature's power over
us; to what goal we are tending; are the problems which present
themselves anew and with undiminished interest to every man born into
the world." Huxley. _Man's Place in Nature_, p. 57.
"Der Mensch ist das einzige Geschöpf, das erzogen werden muss.
Unter der Erziehung nämlich verstehen wir die Wartung (Verpflegung,
Unterhaltung), Disciplin (Zucht) und Unterweisung nebst der Bildung.
Dem zufolge ist der Mensch Säugling,--Zögling--und Lehrling." Kant.
_Pädagogik_, Einleitung.
"Man's Intellectual Progress consists in the Idealization of Facts,
and man's Moral Progress consists in the Realization of Ideas."
Whewell's _Moral Philosophy, Additional Lectures_, p. 129.
"Say! when the world was new and fresh from the hand of its Maker,
Ere the first modelled frame thrilled with the tremors of life,...
.... Forms of transcendent might--Beauty with Majesty joined, None to
behold, and none to enjoy, and none to interpret? Say! was the WORK
wrought out! Say was the GLORY complete? What could reflect, though
dimly and faint, the INEFFABLE PURPOSE Which from chaotic powers,
Order and Harmony drew? What but the reasoning spirit, the thought and
the faith and the feeling? What, but the grateful sense, conscious of
love and design? Man sprang forth at the final behest. His intelligent
worship Filled up the void that was left. Nature at length had a Soul."
Sir J. Herschel. _Essays, etc._, p. 737.
"Wär ein verständiger Sinn auch mir doch beschieden gewesen! Aber es
täuschte mich trügrischer Pfad, hieher mich, dann dorthin Lockend. Nun
bin ich bejahrt und doch unbefriedigt von allem Forschen. Denn wo ich
den Geist hinwende, da löst sich mir alles Auf in Eins und Dasselbe:
da alles Seyende, allzeit Allwärts angezogen, in ähnliche, eine Natur
tritt."
Jacobi. _Werke, Vorrede zu David Hume_, p. 103.
"Throughout all future time, as now, the human mind may occupy itself,
not only with ascertained phenomena and their relations, but also
with that unascertained something which phenomena and their relations
imply. Hence if knowledge cannot monopolize consciousness--if it
must always continue possible for the mind to dwell upon that which
transcends knowledge; then there can never cease to be a place for
something of the nature of Religion; since Religion under all its
forms is distinguished from everything else in this, that its subject
matter is that which passes the sphere of experience." Herbert
Spencer. _First Principles_, p. 17.
SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTER V.
The argument of this chapter turns upon the analysis of concrete
processes carried on throughout human life; together with their
correlations or correspondent factors visible _in rerum naturâ_.
All these being complex activities, resolve themselves into series
of simpler activities, which, though separable in thought, follow
each other inseparably as real working elements of human or natural
productions,--or of both.
In each productive process of Mankind, we perceive:--
1. A purpose conceived,--(the end or final cause.)
2. A power or force which has to be (a.) discovered and (b.) fitted to
this human purpose.
2. (a.) This implies that the object in quest exists, or is capable
of being evoked into active existence, as a Force or operative Law
capable of producing real effects. Otherwise, it would be no auxiliary
to Man. Viewed _per se_, and apart from its being fitted to his
special purpose, it must therefore be a _natural_ power or law, and
answers to what Bacon calls a Form or Formal cause.[180]
(It is plain that human production requires some particular
utilization of a producing force, wider in itself than this or
any other ancillary application of its energies. Compare Bacon's
philosophic observation[181] that the operative Form "deduces the
given nature from some source of being which is inherent in more
natures.")
2. (b.) A number of such powers, forces, laws, forms, present
themselves to the intellectual eye of an inventor or producer.
Possible _fitness_, (adaptability)--must therefore next be
determined. And here the power is no longer considered separately, but
in relation to some Formation.
In 2, therefore, we have (a) a simple fact or general law of
Force;--and (b) a correlated fact, or specialized law of Production.
3. Finally, for operative activity, there must be an efficient cause
putting in movement the productive law, over and above its intelligent
apprehension just presupposed. This efficient Cause, as seen always in
human Production, is a Will.
Now each several step in this series comes before us as an act
of _Mind_. But out of this number one only needs to be examined
here;--because
Purpose (1) has been treated of in Chapter II.
Will (3) occupies the close of this Essay.
No. 2, therefore, (divisible into a and b,) makes the proper
subject-matter of the present Chapter. It has been written to meet
the difficulties felt by a certain number of reasoners respecting the
argument from Design. They are very often indisposed to accept that
argument, because its analogical nature makes it appear circuitous;
and because they hesitate when attempting to appreciate its exact
value: compare p. 53 _ante_. There is also a lurking dread of that
spectral shadow called Anthropomorphism, haunting some minds with
a pertinacity, which may be estimated from p. 54 _seq._ By such
reasoners let the present Chapter,--which proceeds not by way of
analogy, but through a direct analysis of acknowledged facts--be
read as a substitute for Chapter II. Or, they may if they please,
consider the present and two following Chapters as a Treatise entirely
distinct from the rest of the volume; this present Chapter serving as
a brief statement of the case for _physico-_theology; while the two
arguments ensuing sketch out _Ethico-_ or _Moral_ Theology; on which
complementary modes of thought see p. 107 _ante_, together with text
and notes now about to follow. Finally, by all those who accept the
reasoning from Design as already explained, let both it and our other
various lines of argument be treated as separate evidences of Natural
Theology, each resting on its own grounds, but all consilient at last.
_Analysis._--Advance and Retrogression of Discovery and of
Civilization. Progress dependent on realizing the relativity between
Power and Function. This condition of success is examined at length.
Perception of existing Relations, and creation of new ones by human
Reason and Will. Illustrations from histories of Invention, Art,
Education, and Self-Education.
Production of Change within ourselves. Self conquest, Self formation,
and Re-formation. Inability of animals arises from domination of
motives unalterable by themselves and instinctively apprehended.
Training relative to motor instincts of various sorts. Self-training
requires freedom from the domination of any single unbalanced
or unalterable impulse. It implies the power of using motives as
counterpoises, and of introducing new elements into the sphere of our
ideals.
Influence of human presence upon the education of animals; influence of
the Divine Idea upon Man.
Transition from the sphere of Intellect to that of Will in relation
to the World. The Spring of Production a movement of Will; the
Idea of Production an insight into the Mind of Nature; discovered
not logically, but as shewn in operation in Nature. Law and Idea,
Intelligence and Matter. Manifold Forces imply a central Unity. Putting
aside the analogical inference from apparent Purpose, the question of
operative Law (Force, Form, Mind,) is examined in its many activities,
their correlations and their underlying Oneness.
Natural Law in action: hypothesis of limited intelligence. Case of
Unreason, Creation by Chance.
Breadth of Law seen in its general fitnesses, and grander unities.
Exceptional effects in "Functioning."
Character of Mind in Nature. Law, type, idea. Adaptation even if
purposed is not Arbitrary. A Supreme Will must be a sovereign Reason.
Perfection of Mind in Nature estimated from convergent fitnesses and
correlations, as exemplified by Sight and Hearing. Also by their
effects in producing Beauty, Happiness, and a sense of sympathy. Mind
in Nature not bare intelligence, but possessing emotional attributes,
not harsh nor unlovely, but tender and loveable.
_Additional Note._
On the Doctrine of Chances applied to the structural Development of of
the Eye, by Professor Pritchard.