The Philosophy of Natural Theology: An Essay in confutation of the scepticism of the present dayJackson, William
Religion
The Philosophy of Natural Theology: An Essay in confutation of the scepticism of the present day
Jackson, William
Natural theology; Religion -- Philosophy; Religion and science
"There occurs to me (continued I), with regard to your main topic, a
difficulty which I shall just propose to you without insisting on it,
lest it lead into reasonings of too nice and delicate a nature. In a
word, I much doubt whether it be possible for a cause to be known only
by its effect (as you have all along supposed), or to be of so singular
and particular a nature, as to have no parallel and no similarity with
any other cause or object that has ever fallen under our observation.
It is only when two _species_ of objects are found to be constantly
conjoined, that we can infer the one from the other: and were an effect
presented which was entirely singular, and could not be comprehended
under any known _species_, I do not see, that we could form any
conjecture or inference at all concerning its cause. If experience
and observation and analogy be, indeed, the only guides which we can
reasonably follow in inferences of this nature; both the effect and
cause must bear a similarity and resemblance to other effects and
causes which we know, and which we have found, in many instances, to be
conjoined with each other. I leave it to your own reflection to pursue
the consequences of this principle." (Ibid.)
The consequences which ought in fairness to be deduced may be stated
thus. The effect we contemplate, (_i.e._ Nature,) is _not_ singular
but can be compared with other effects--those of Art. The comparison
is made in respect of certain specific attributes or properties upon
which the Design analogy turns, so that we may reason upwards to
certain specific analogies of Causation. Art manifests the foreseeing
attributes of the human artist, and from comparison of these we
infer in the Creator like attributes,--what Hume elsewhere calls the
_natural_ attributes of the Deity. But this likeness is properly termed
_analogical_, because of the vast difference in the magnitude of the
effects _from_ which we thus reason, and of the causes _to_ which we
reason. As our wisdom and power are proportionable to our earthly
works, so are the Divine wisdom and power proportionable to the whole
majestic Universe. There is, then, a comparison in _species_, but not
in grandeur--the attributes are not _similar_, but _analogical_. As the
Heavens are high above the Earth, so are His thoughts higher than our
thoughts.
D.--THE PANTHEISTIC CONSEQUENCES CHARGED UPON PHYSICAL SPECULATIONS.
The following is the passage from Professor Baden Powell referred to in
note (_h_) of the preceding chapter. Some short extracts were also made
from it on a previous page.
"Nothing but the common confused and mistaken notions as to laws and
causes, could give any colour to the assertion that ... physical
speculations tend to substitute general physical laws in the place of
the Deity; and that scientific statements of the conclusions of Natural
Theology are nothing but ill-disguised Pantheism.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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