Evolution: Its nature, its evidence, and its relation to religious thoughtLeConte, Joseph
Religion
Evolution: Its nature, its evidence, and its relation to religious thought
LeConte, Joseph
Evolution (Biology); Evolution (Biology) -- Religious aspects; Religion and science
_Some general conclusions_--(1) Two series of changes,
brain-changes and mind-changes--The initiative in animals
--In man--(2) Justification of term “_vital principle_”
--Becomes entity in man--(3) This view is a complete
reconciliation of realism and nominalism--(4) No meaning in
Nature without spirit--And no meaning in geological history
without derivative origin of spirit--Material evolution finds
its goal in man, psychic evolution in the divine man 327
CHAPTER V.
THE RELATION OF GOD TO MAN.
_Question of revelation_--Difficulty of the subject--Operation
of divine spirit on spirit of man more direct than on Nature
--This is revelation--This is no violation of law, but
operation by higher law--Term supernatural is relative--
Illustrated--There is but one kind of revelation, and this to
all men in different degrees--Always imperfect, and therefore
must be tried by reason 331
CHAPTER VI.
THE OBJECTION, THAT THE ABOVE VIEW IMPLIES PANTHEISM, ANSWERED.
_The objection stated and the general answer_--In deepest
questions single lines of thought lead to extreme views--Must
follow other lines--These lead to personality 335
(1) Exact character of relation of God and of necessary law to
man’s freedom is inscrutable 338
(2) On the inside of brain-changes we find personality--So on
the inside of natural phenomena must also be person--In
either case science studies the outside only--In Nature
all is mechanics on the outside, but all is mind on the
inside--Thought behind brain-changes compels belief in same
behind natural phenomena--Law of infinite expansion--
Illustrated by ideas of Space and Time--So also with idea
of self--Infinite person inconceivable, but contrary is more
inconceivable--Illustrated by ideas of Space and Time 338
(3) Idea of _Causation_ and of _Force_--Derived from _within_
--Steps of the evolution of this idea--Final result is one
infinite personal will--Expansion of idea of causal nexus
between phenomena to the idea of one infinite cause 342
(4) Idea of _design_ also originates _within_--Ineradicable, but
changes form--Expands to infinity--Same change produced by
science in all our notions concerning God--Same in our sense
of _mystery_--Same in our notions concerning _creation_--
Same in our conceptions of _design_--Thus, self-consciousness
behind brain-changes compels belief in God behind Nature--The
closeness of connection in the one case necessitates closeness
of connection in the other--Every material change in Nature
caused by a mental change behind Nature 345
CHAPTER VII.
SOME LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE DIVINE IMMANENCY.
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