The Philosophical Basis of Evolution |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
absolutely impossible according action animal antec antecedent Arminian atoms body cause acting cause of evolution certainly CHAPTER chemical choice Cockspur Street comes to pass conceive consciousness considered Darwin deducible definite deter determination of force determination of molecular DETERMINISM IN RELATION EDWARD STANFORD effect effort electricity ence eternal event evolution exertion of force existence explain fact fittest fixed free-will freedom G. H. Lewes gravitation happen heat holds equally true holds true indefinite infinite number intelligible cause Kant magnetism manner mination mode of motion mode of operation molecular movements molecular physics moral move natural selection Nebular Hypothesis Necessitarian necessity objective idea organic forms organic nature particles persistence of force phenomena plant Polar Climates possible Pre-nebular Condition principle of causality produced question reference regard result says Schopenhauer sensuous simply space Spencer STELLAR EVOLUTION substance suppose take place Teleology Theism thing tion unity variation vis viva volitions
Popular passages
Page 10 - Evolution is an integration of matter and concomitant dissipation of motion ; during which the matter passes from an indefinite, incoherent homogeneity to a definite, coherent heterogeneity ; and during which the retained motion undergoes a parallel transformation.
Page 89 - And it has to be shown that this universality of process, results from the same necessity which determines each simplest movement around us, down to the accelerated fall of a stone or the recurrent beat of a harp-string. In other words, the phenomena of Evolution have to be deduced from the Persistence of Force. As before said — "to this an ultimate analysis brings us down; and on this a rational synthesis must build up.
Page 37 - ... manifest that our experience of force, is that out of which the idea of Matter is built. Matter as opposing our muscular energies, being immediately present to consciousness in terms of force ; and its occupancy of Space being known by an abstract of experiences originally given in terms of force ; it follows that forces, standing in certain correlations, form the whole content of our idea of Matter.
Page 151 - If one plant or animal differs from another, or the parent from the child, it is because in the building-up process the determinations of molecular motion were different in the two cases ; and the true and fundamental ground of the difference must be sought for in the cause of the determination of molecular motion.
Page 2 - ... which the reviewer says I " cannot evade the admission of," I distinctly deny. The affirmation of universal evolution is in itself the negation of an " absolute commencement" of anything. Construed in terms of evolution, every kind of being is conceived as a product of modifications wrought by insensible gradations on a pre-existing kind of being...
Page 12 - In physics we have been accustomed to attribute everything to force ; force, at least, has always been regarded as the all-important element. This, however, is a mistake ; for, as we shall see, far more depends upon the determination of force than upon its existence, and therefore, unless force be determined by force, the most important element in physical causation is a something differ-ent from force.
Page 193 - Now this active subject would, in its character of intelligible subject, be subordinate to no conditions of time, for time is only a condition of phenomena, and not of things in themselves. No action would begin or cease to be in this subject ; it would consequently be free from the law of all determination of time...
Page 184 - They had many faults ; let him that is without sin cast a stone at them. They abhorred as no body of men ever more abhorred all conscious mendacity, all impurity, all moral wrong of every kind so far as they could recognize it. Whatever exists at this moment in England and Scotland of conscientious fear of doing evil is the remnant of the convictions which were branded by the Calvinists into the people's hearts.
Page 36 - Our conception of Matter, reduced to its simplest shape, is that of co-existent positions that offer resistance ; as contrasted with our conception of Space, in which the co-existent positions offer no resistance.
Page 198 - Philosophical Necessity is really nothing else than the full and fixed connection between the things signified by the subject and predicate of a proposition, which affirms something to be true.