Speaker 1: A fire mist and a planet, a crystal and a cell,
a jellyfish, and a saurian, and caves where the cave
men dwell, then a sense of law and beauty, and
a face turned from the clod. Some call it evolution,
and others call it God. Like tides on a crescent
sea beach, when the moon is new and thin, into
our hearts high yearnings come, welling and surging in come
from the mystic ocean whose rim no foot has trod.
Some of us call it longing, and others call it God. W. H. Caruth.
In the beginning, this book will deal with life. It
holds that life is universal, that it is inherent in
and manifest in different degrees in every part, particle, phase, aspect, condition, place,
or relationship in the world of things that we call
the universe. It holds that life manifests in two aspects
or forms, which are generally found by us in connection
and cooperation with each other, but which are both probably
an expression of some one thing higher than either. These
two aspects or forms, which together go to make up
or produce that which we know as life, are known
as one substance or matter and two mind. In this book,
the term substance is used in preference to matter, owing
to the fact that the term matter has become closely
identified with certain ideas of the materialistic school of thought,
and has generally been regarded by the public in the
light of dead matter, whereas this book holds that all
substance is alive. The term mind is used in the
sense of mind as we know it, rather than as
mind as it is, or as the cause macmind. In
some places, the term mind principle is used to convey
the idea of a portion of the great principle of mind,
of which that which we call mind is but a
small and but partially expressed portion. These terms are explained
and illustrated as we proceed. The aspect of energy or
force is not treated as a separate aspect or form
of life in this book, for the reason that it
is regarded as merely a manifestation of mind, as will
appear as we proceed. We have much to say regarding motion,
but the writer has tried to explain and prove that
at the last, all motion results from mental action, and
that all force and energy is vital mental force and energy.
This book is not intended to run along metaphysical or
theological lines. Its field is different, and so while it
recognizes the importance of these branches of human thoughts, still
it finds that its own particular field is sufficient to
engross its entire attention for the moment. And consequently, the
aforesaid subjects shall not be touched upon, except incidentally in
connection with the subject matter of the book. This being
the case, there will be no discussion of the origin
of life, the question of creation, the problems of theology
and metaphysics, the riddle of the why and wherefore of
life and the universe. The writer has his own opinions
upon these questions, but feels that this is not the
place in which to air the same. For the purposes
of the book, he prefers to leave every reader to
his own favorite views and conceptions regarding these great subjects,
feeling that the views regarding life, mind, motion, and substance
that are advanced in this book may be accepted by
any intelligent reader without prejudice to his or her accepted
religious or philosophical views. The writer sees that this something
called life exists. He finds it in evidence everywhere, and
he sees it always in its aspects of substance and mind,
and he feels justified in regarding life as always existing
in and manifesting in these aspects, always in conjunction, at
least life as we know it. And he finds certain
apparent laws of life in operation in the universe, to
which all life, in all its aspects is apparently amendable,
and he feels justified in considering these laws constant and
invariable and unchangeable so long as the universe as it
now is exists. And with the above views and mind,
this book will proceed to a consideration of its subject
without attempting to peer behind the veil separating the universe
from its causer, life from its source. But in justice
to reader, subject and writer, the latter has thought it
well to state that he does recognize not only the veil,
but that which is behind the veil. To proceed without
this statement would be unfair and misleading. The writer wishes
to be understood positively upon this point, even though the
declaration may bring forth the derisive jeer of those who
feel that they have outgrown this conception, or else the calm, superior,
pitying smile of those who feel that the universe is
its own cause and effect. By universe, the writer means
the whole body of things parentheses Webster. His declaration means
that he believes in that which is above things. The
writer prefers not to attempt to define that which he
calls the infinite. The word infinite means without limit in time, space, power, capacity, knowledge,
or excellence in parentheses Webster. And to define is to limit,
mark the limits of mark, the end of et cetera.
The term define, as applied to the infinite is ridiculous,
an absurd paradox. The writer echoes Spinoza's statement to define
God is to deny him, and so there shall be
no attempt at definition or limitation. But the human mind,
in considering the subject, is bound by its own laws
to think of the infinite as real and actually being
and existent if it thinks of it at all, And
if it thinks of it as infinite, it must, by
its own laws, think of it as causeless, eternal, absolute, everywhere, present,
all powerful, all wise. The human mind is compelled to
consider the infinite if it thinks of it at all.
But even in so thinking of it as being these things,
it is doing something like defining or limiting it, for
the infinite must not only be those things, but it
must be so much more that those things are but
as a grain of dust on the desert as compared
to the real being of the infinite. For the things
mentioned are but finite or defined things, things possessed by
the finite things, and at the best can be but
symbols of the attributes or qualities of the infinite, even
the words attributes or qualities being an absurdity as applied
to the infinite. This view also must be reported by
the human reason if it thinks about the matter at all.
The final report of the human reason regarding this matter
is that it is insoluble and unthinkable to that reason
in its final analysis. This because the human reason is
compelled to use terms, concepts, et cetera derived from its
experience with finite things, and therefore has no tools, measurements,
or other appliances with which to think of the infinite.
All that it can do is report that it finds
that it has limits itself, and that it finds beyond
those limits that which it cannot define, but which it
is justified in considering as infinite and superior to all
finite conceptions, such as time, space, causation, and thought. The
idea of thought being finite equally with time, space and
causation is not common, but the writer is compelled to
place it in that category because it is clearly under
the laws of time, space and cause and effect, and
must be considered as finite. Knowledge possessed by the infinite
must be something far transcending that which we know as
the result of mental operations or thinking. Certain fundamental truths
seem to have been impressed upon the human intellect, and
the reason is compelled to report in accordance therewith. But
an analysis of these fundamental truths is futile, and the
attempt only leads one into wild speculations. The only advantage
that comes from the attempt is the strengthening of mental
muscle of those who are able to stand the strain
of the exercise, and the fact that by such attempt
we are made aware that we do not know and
cannot know by reasons of the nature of the intellect,
and are thus prevented from harboring absurd and childish theories
about the Unknowable. To know that we do not know
and cannot know is the next best thing to actually
knowing The writer does not wish to be understood that
the limits of the human reason are unalterably fixed. On
the contrary, he believes that additional fundamental portions of truth
are superimposed upon the mind of the race from time
to time. And he believes, yes knows, that there are
regions of the mind that give reports higher than those
conveyed through the intellect. And he believes that there are
phases of knowledge and store for man that will raise
him as much higher than his present position, as that
present position is superior to that of the earth worm.
And he believes that there are beings in existence to
day on plains of life, as yet undreamed of by
the average man, who far transcend man in power, wisdom,
and nature. He believes that man is merely just entering
into his kingdom and does not realize the grandeur of
that which is his divine inheritance. It will be as
well to mention here that the classification of mind with
the aspects of life in conjunction with substance and motion
does not mean that the ego or man is a
material thing. The writer believes that the ego is a
transcendent being partaking in some wonderful way of the essence
of the infinite, that it is a soul immortal. He
believes that, as Paul says, we are all children of God,
but what we shall be does not as yet appear.
These matters shall not be discussed in this book, but
the writer wishes to make himself clear in order to
prevent misunderstanding. Again, in this respect he must fly in
the face of materialism. But although the writer expresses his
belief in the existence of the infinite and bases his
philosophy upon that basis, he does not wish to insist
upon the identification of his conception with that of any
other particular conception of the source of life, nor does
he insist upon names or terms in connection with the conception.
He has used the term the infinite because it seems
to be broader than any other of which he could think,
but he uses it merely as a name for the unnameable.
So if the reader prefers, he or she may use
the terms God, deity, first cause, principle, unknowable, infinite and
eternal energy, the thing in itself, the absolute, or any
of the other countless terms used by man in his
attempt to name the unnameable, to describe the undescribable, to
define the undefinable, And all may retain their ideas or
lack of ideas regarding the relation of the infinite to
their own particular religious views or lack of views. The
philosophy of this book need not disturb a man's religious belief,
nor does it insist upon the man holding any special
religious belief. Those are matters entirely for the exercise of
the man's own reason and conscience. And they may retain
their own pet philosophy regarding the origin, purposes, or plan
of the production and existence of the universe. This book
shall not meddle with their metaphysics or philosophy. What is
herein offered may be assimilated with the fundamental ideas of
nearly every form of religious or philosophical belief. It being
in the nature of an addition rather than a subtraction
or division, its philosophy is constructive rather than destructive.