Life and Matter: A Criticism of Professor Haeckel's "Riddle of the Universe" — John Shaqi
Life and Matter: A Criticism of Professor Haeckel's "Riddle of the Universe"Lodge, Oliver, Sir
Religion
Life and Matter: A Criticism of Professor Haeckel's "Riddle of the Universe"
Lodge, Oliver, Sir
Haeckel, Ernst, 1834-1919. Welträthsel; Life -- Origin; Monism; Philosophy and religion
But the term "energy" itself, as used in definite sense by the
physicist, rather involves a modern idea and is itself a generalisation.
Things as distinct from each other as light, heat, sound, rotation,
vibration, elastic strain, gravitative separation, electric currents,
and chemical affinity, have all to be generalised under the same
heading, in order to make the law true. Until "heat" was included in the
list of energies, the statement could not be made; and, a short time
ago, it was sometimes discussed whether "life" should or should not be
included in the category of energy. I should give the answer decidedly
No, but some might be inclined to say Yes; and this is sufficient as an
example to show that the categories of energy are not necessarily
exhausted; that new forms may be discovered; and that if new forms
exist, until they are discovered, the law of conservation of energy as
now stated may in some cases be strictly untrue; just as it would be
untrue, though partially and usefully true, in the theory of machines,
if heat were unknown or ignored. To jump, therefore, from a
generalisation such as this, and to say, as Professor Haeckel does on
page 5, that the following cosmological theorems have already been
"amply demonstrated," is to leap across a considerable chasm:—
"1. The universe, or the cosmos, is eternal, infinite, and
illimitable.
"2. Its substance, with its two attributes (matter and energy),
fills infinite space, and is in eternal motion.
"3. This motion runs on through infinite time as an unbroken
development, with a periodic change from life to death, from
evolution to devolution.
"4. The innumerable bodies which are scattered about the
space-filling ether all obey the same 'law of substance'; while
the rotating masses slowly move towards their destruction and
dissolution in one part of space, others are springing into new
life and development in other quarters of the universe."
Most of this, though in itself probable enough, must, when
scientifically regarded, be rated as guess-work, being an overpressing
of known fact into an exaggerated and over-comprehensive form of
statement. Let it be understood that I am not objecting to his
speculations, but only pointing out that they are speculations.
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