The physical forces and energies bear indubitable testimony to the
existence of mind, not only outside of themselves, but in themselves and
through themselves. We have the force of gravitation, the power which
bodies have of attracting one another in proportion to their mass, and
inversely as the squares of their distance; in other words, that power
which bodies have of getting up mutually aggregative motion, unless
prevented by some other power of an opposite nature. A body suspended in
the air is attracted toward the earth by the force of gravitation. A lump
of sugar held over a cup of tea, attracts into itself the water of the
tea cup. This is done by the force known as capillarity. A piece of iron
left exposed attracts the particles of oxygen in the atmosphere. This
is done by the force known as chemical affinity. Why do bodies attract
one another in proportion to their mass and inversely as the squares of
their distance? Why does a lump of sugar, held close over a cup of water,
attract the particles of water into itself? Why does a piece of iron in
the atmosphere attract to itself the oxygen? We are told it is because
of gravitation, capillarity, and chemical affinity. How happens it that
these forces have methods of action known as gravitation, capillarity,
and chemical affinity? They either determined themselves to have them and
to act in accordance with them, or else some power other than themselves
determined these methods of action for them.
The truth is, gravitation, capillarity, and chemical affinity are but
terms we use to define the operations of mind. To name a force and to
find the formula in accordance with which it works, is not to determine
the origin of its source. And because we have, by observation and
experiment, found out the methods and the measures of the mind’s working,
is no good reason why we should read mind out of the process altogether.
This is to mistake names for causes; and to suppose when one learns how a
force acts, that he has also learned what it is that acts.
A contemporary of Shakspere might have observed the poet so closely in
his home at Stratford-upon-Avon, as to be able to give to the world a
detailed and exact account of his habits of thought and hours of study;
but this would not have kept the intelligent part of mankind from
believing that a great mind had embodied itself in the immortal plays of
Shakspere.
Heat, electricity, light, and magnetism must also be expressions of mind,
for the same reason that matter is an expression of mind. To believe
them self-determined, is to believe them rational and intelligent. This
has never been claimed, hence our only way of accounting for their
existence is to regard them as the determinations of mind. We see them,
day by day, lending themselves to the uses and devices of man’s thought,
and expressions of thought they must be.
III.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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