[30]
He says, there have ever been two conflicting theories of the universe:
the one, monistic; the other, dualistic. The one admits of only one
substance, matter; the other of two, matter and mind. He prefers to call
the former monism rather than materialism, because the latter term often
includes the idea of moral materialism, _i. e._ the doctrine that
sensual pleasure is the end of life; a doctrine, he says, much more
frequently held by princely church-men than by men of science. He
maintains, however, that "all knowable nature is one; that the same
eternal, immutable (ehernen, brazen) laws are active in the life of
animals and plants, in the formation of crystals, and the power of
steam; in the whole sphere of biology, zooelogy, and botany. We have,
therefore, the right to hold fast the monistic and mechanical view,
whether men choose to brand the system as Materialism or not. In this
sense, all natural science, with the law of causation at its head, is
thoroughly materialistic." (p. 32)
The monistic theory he calls "mechanical or causal," as distinguished
from the dualistic theory, which he calls "teleological or vitalistic."
According to the latter, "the vegetable and animal kingdoms are
considered as the products of a creative agency, working with a definite
design. In looking on an organism, the conviction seems unavoidable that
so skilfully constructed a machine, such a complicated working
apparatus, as an organism is, could be produced only by an agency
analogous to, although far more perfect than the agency of man.
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