This system comes before it in a twofold aspect: on the one hand, as “something that is,” _i.e._ things; and on the other hand, as “something that happens,” _i.e._ the play of events among things. A “being” without a “happening” attached, is as little to be found as a “happening” without a “being.” In other words: processes only exist. Here two questions immediately arise. First, _What is the world?_ And second, _How does the play of events come about?_ Both sides of the world-picture, and therewith both questions, blend into one question--the question as to adequate causes. As well the fact that “something is here,” as the fact that “something happens,” requires adequate causes. _The adequate cause is the thought-necessity given with all mental life._ The entire universe in all its parts and processes, is to the thinking man a species of marionette show. He sees the puppets dance but he does not see the strings, neither does he see that which pulls the strings. The incentive to a view of the world is the craving, so to speak, to get a peep behind the scenes, to spy out Nature’s secrets, and therewith seize upon the meaning and significance of life itself. This latter is the real object of every world-theory. Now it is quite true, that if I do not perceive the meaning and significance of life I am but little better than the donkey that drags the full sacks to the mill and the empty ones back without knowing why, in the one case as in the other. I owe it to my dignity as a man to seek out the meaning and significance of life. But this is not all. That I am here is a given fact. Were I not here, had I never been here, not for that would any breach have yawned in the structure of the world. But now that I am here, all turns upon _how I conduct myself during this my existence_. Not the fact _that_ I am here, but _how_ I employ this existence is the all-important thing. This question as to the “_how_” can only be answered in any natural way through the “_what_.” I must know what I am, and what are the things and beings outside me; I must learn my relations to the external world, I must apprehend the meaning and significance of life before I can possess a genuine canon and standard for my behaviour, for my morality. For all morality, whether it find expression in doing or in leaving undone, issues in acts of selflessness. This, however, requires that motives be brought forward, otherwise such an act is either a perverted form of self-seeking like all asceticism, or it is mere training, bearing, indeed, the outward semblance of morality, in reality, however, having nothing at all to do with it. It is only in virtue of cognition that any act acquires moral value. One can speak of real morality there only where it is a function of cognition. Hence there can be no morality without comprehension, without a world-conception. This is the first reason why a world-theory is necessary.