2
T H E TORCH OF REASON, S IL V E R T O N , OREGON, AUG UST 23, E. M. 300 (1900.)
Once /Tore, P rotoplasm ! a n d All are more unlike in properties. The can only come through evolved th a t is, of protoplasm , is not ‘“nu
it Im plies.
same com binations do produce structure.
T here is no creation of assum ption,” hut the com m onest
“ different
results
at
different sentiency at any point; there is and sim plest fact known to all.
tim es,” depending altogether on only better and better m eans for
The O rganic or Biologic W orld is
DAVID ECCLES VS. T. B. W.
the conditions under which the bringing it in contact with th e this living fact, including all ini-
com binations take place. T here is great universe around. M an, him- crobes, plants, anim als and m an,
E ditor T orch of R eason :
Prof. W akem an’s m etaphysical nothing “ u n th in k ab le” in the self, is an in sen tiate clod to million? including Mr. Eccles. On th a t fact
and scientific statem ents touching proposition th a t practically the of activities in the world aro u n d Ju d g e W aite, and the Torch, and
the nature of m atter strike me as sam e results may be had fr »in dif- him . He has no senses w herew ith the rest of the world do stan d , and
The he can be stirred to a realization of there is no assum ption about it,
very questionable, and as he asks ferent elem ents of m atter
those who dissent to tell why, I elem ents are classified in homolo- their existence. Those who know any more th an th a t the sun shines,
avail myself of the privilege.
gous groups th a t im itate each the universe and m atter best, but We are all here and ail sen tien t
[A] W ith Judge W aite, he holds | others’ properties, a n d are isomeric know how essentially m ystical and m atter, and we all grew from our
th a t the sentiencv of m atter is in forms of crystallization, so th a t transcendental it is.
sen tien t germ cells. This undeni-
based on assum ption, and as no one elem ent can be substituted for
[E ] Prof. John T yndall, I th in k , able fact of vital activity, or life, is
scientific dem onstration can be of- the other in com pounds, with a re- touched the gist of this problem in found to be the property of proto-
fered he affirms th a t th a t should suit in form and character nearly his reply to M artineau. He says: plasm , which is a chem ical com bin-
end the m atter with sensible peo- the same. Of course, there is no “ No line has ever been draw n be- ation of C. H. O. X. P. S.; and so
pie. Suppose he applies his own id en tity , for, as Prof. Crookes has tween the conscious and the uncon- far it has not been found to be the
criterion of tru th to protoplasm? shown, there is in d iv id u ality of scious. In all such inquiries we resu ltan t or property of a n y th in g
He declares it to be a mere chem i ch aracter even am ong the atom s of are lim ited by our powers of ob- else. U ntil it is so found , th e a s
cal union of O. II. C. N. P. and S. the sam e elem ent, which can be nervation. A lter our capacity and sertion th a t it so exists, is the u t
the evidence alters too.
W ould terly baseless and unscientific “ as
W h at chem ist has ever taken those sifted from each other.
[C] It is sim ply absurd to su p th a t which is to us a total absence su m p tio n ” in which spookists in
elem ents and produced protoplasm
from their union? W here is the pose th at the existence of su lp h u r of any m anifestation of conscious dulge. But un til they can show
experim ental evidence in the case? is an indispensable condition of life. ness be the sam e to a being with life as a property of som ething be
If oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and The elem ents th a t form protoplasm , our capacities indefinitely m u lti sides protoplasm , we respectfully
nitrogen are non-sentient, how can no doubt, are adapted to the de plied? To such a being I im agine repeat, “ the m atter is ended with
any com bination of them become m ands of organic change in a high not only the vegetable but the all sensible people.”
But, says Mr. Eccles, “ W hat
sentient? As there is no evidence degree, and perhaps the rem oval of m ineral world responsive to the
th a t protoplasm was ever produced any one of them would cause a proper irrita n ts .” And ag ain : “ If chem ist has ever taken those ele
by anything but a living system, radical transform ation in the forms ' m atter sta rts as a beggar it is be- ments and produced protoplasm
is not his conclusion th at the chem of life, but it is a gratuitous assum p- cause the .Jacobs of theology have from their u n io n ?” We answ er,
he has him self, every tim e he d i
istry of m atter explains the whole tion th a t they are all indispensable. robbed it of its b irth rig h t.”
T h at is well put; and I am su r gests a meal of victuals. A few
W hat Prof. W ard says about the
case a ra th e r bold assum ption? I
am not saying an y th in g now as to accident of in itiativ e th a t gave us prised th a t men, in their desire to more years of chem ical progress
the tru th or falsity of the assum p our vertebral stru ctu re applies get rid of “ spooks,” should antago- may enable the chemist to do it in
tion; I am only calling his a tte n equally well as to the elem ents nize the only philosophy th a t makes the laboratory very much as it is
now done in his alim en tary canal.
tion to the fact th a t it is an as through which life has been evolved. “ spooks” a useless surplusage.
[F ] E ith er all m atter is sen tien t But as long as the law of “ E q u iv
sum ption. But, then, there are a H ere and now these elem ents, es
great m any scientific assum ptions. pecially nitrogen, meet the dem and, or no m atter is sentient, for the alent C o rrelatio n ” holds (which is
The atom s he talks so freely about a t the tem perature th a t obtains for evidence accum ulates th a t m atter the fu n d am en tal law of all Science),
are all “ assum ed.” No one ever easily m ade and broken affinities, is a bottom one, and th a t the so- all sensible people know th a t N a
dem onstrated th eir existence. The ! thus affording plasticity and mo- called elem ents are evolveff pro ture is uniform , and th a t different
ether th a t he is so fearful of hav tion; but under other tem peratures ducts. Of course, no one supposes correlates cannot produce the sam e
ing “ bespooked” is an assum ption. and other conditions it is quite th a t an atom is a thinking, reflect result, and theretore life can n o t
I t is u n testab le by any sense we conceivable th a t other elem ents ive being like a m an, but only th a t result from a different lot of ele
have, and outrages the cu rren t m ight better fill the dem ands of it responds by sim ple feeling m ents or correlates. N atu re never
conceptions of the properties of living adaption. Of course, dem on through its lim ited stru ctu re to it» has but one way of doing an y th in g
m atter. I believe in the ether, ro t stration is impossible, but we have lim ited environm ent, and th a t when — like cause like effect, only one
because I can dem onstrate it, but th e strongest of probabilities.
united with the telegraphic system line of causes or correlates for one
because I cannot th in k of a mode
[D] C alling protoplasm the first of a living organism , it m ay become effect. T h at is her in variable “ law
of motion traveling in the absence form of life does not make it so. the d om inant will of the system .
of econom y,” which no scientist
of som ething to carry it. There A com prehensive view of nature
[G] Atoms, however, conceived doubts.
are assum ptions, however, th a t are teaches us th a t she has no “ first” as ultim ates, are doubtful m eta
B. But Mr. Eccles next questions
not based on fact or based on rea forms of anything. T h at concep physical creations. Physics c a n w hether “ the chem ical co m b in a
son, and I think Prof. W akem an tion is born in the theological belief not explain the whole of things, tions of the same m atter are found
indulges in some of these.
of creation. E very th in g is evolved, and when we try to th in k how to be alw ays the sam e in resu lt,”
[B] For instance, he (Professor and there is no break in the chain, m ind becomes a cause, we get be- and th a t “ m atter th a t has not the
W akem an) tells us th a t “ The The first man was not a m an, and yond our depth. We are com- same properties cannot be the sam e
chemical com binations of the sam e the first horse was not a horse. pelled to assum e two parallel laws, m a tte r.” But when Mr. Eccles gets
m atter are found to be alw ays the Protoplasm , as an organized struc- m ental and physical, and yet it through with his com m ent, which
same in result,” and th at “ m atter ture, m ust have a long antecedent, seems impossible th a t there can be refers to chem ical isom erism , he
th a t has not the same properties W hile chem ical and physiological more th an one. P erhaps they seems to agree to the above. H e
cannot be the same m atter.” The laws blend in harm ony, they are unite . ’n the U nknow able, where says “ the elem ents are classified in
facts of chem istry show th at, how- not identities. T h at is, the cbem - V’l m in^. ,is i,uP °tent
homologous groups th a t im itate
ever rational these statements ap- istry of the inorganic—inorganic ¡conclusion, however, viz.: “Nothing each others’ properties and are
pear to a m an who is befuddled only within the ranges of the can be evolved th a t is not iu- isomeric in forma of cry stallizatio n ,
with the notion th a t the properties senses—is not the chem istry of the volved!”
D avid E ccles .
so th a t one elem ent cau be substi-
of m atter are intrinsic and uncou- organic. In other words, new con
\\ asbington, D. C., Aug. 3, 1900. tuted for the other in com pounds,
ditioned, the conclusion is false, ditions give the same matter added
with a result in form and ch aracter
Carbon and sulphur, and phos- powers and properties. One m ight
comment and reply .
nearly the same. O f course there
phorus and silicon, though chem i as well expect the chem ist Io turn
Mr. Eccle.-’ words seem as though is No identity , for, as Professor
cally pure, can be made to assume out a full-grown living man from they had sound m eaning, but, on Crookes has shown, there is in d i
many allotropic forms, with dis his laboratory from the sim ple ele reflection, they are the spray and viduality of ch aracter even am ong
tinct properties in each form. T u r m ents th a t compose his frame, as m ist th a t in various forms dash up the atom s of the same elem ent,
pentine, oil of lemon, oil of pepper to, by sim ilar m eans, tu rn out ag ain st the inexpugnable rocks— which can be sifted from each
and oil of bergam ot yield, on an- protoplasm . Developed sentiency th e facts and laws of Science. Let other. But it alw ays takes these
alysis, the same atom s in exactly is an indispensable factor in the us work them over:
sam e sifted elem ents under the
the same pro p o rtio n s,yet few things ¡chem istry of the change, and this
A. “ The sentiency of m atter,” t sam e conditions to give the sam e