BOOK X.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF PALETIOLOGY.

CHAP. I. OF PALETIOLOGICAL SCIENCES IN GENERAL

Description of Palætiology.

PAGE

637

Art. 1.

5. Phenomenal Uranology.

6. Phenomenal Geography of Plants and Animals.

7.

Phenomenal Glossology.

8. The Study of Phenomena leads to Theory.

9. No sound Theory without Etiology.

10.

Causes in Paletiology.

11. Various kinds of Cause.

12. Hypothetical Order of Palætiological Causes.

13. Mode of Cultivating Etiology:-In Geology:

14. In the Geography of Plants and Animals:

15. In Languages.

16.

Construction of Theories.

No sound Palætiological Theory yet extant.

OF THE DOCTRINE OF CATASTROPHES AND THE DOC-

17.

CHAP. III.

2.

Doctrine of Uniformity.

3. Is Uniformity probable a priori?

4. Cycle of Uniformity indefinite.

5. Uniformitarian Arguments are Negative only.

6. Uniformity in the Organic World.

7. Origin of the present Organic World.

8. Nebular Origin of the Solar System.

9. Origin of Languages.

CHAP. IV. OF THE RELATION OF TRADITION TO PALETIOLOGY

PAGE

680

3.

4.

Natural and Providential History of the World.

The Sacred Narrative.

5. Difficulties in interpreting the Sacred Narrative.

6. Such Difficulties inevitable.

7. Science tells us nothing concerning Creation.

8.

9.

Scientific views, when familiar, do not disturb the

authority of Scripture.

When should Old Interpretations be given up?

10. In what Spirit should the Change be accepted?

11. In what Spirit should the Change be urged?

12. Duty of Mutual Forbearance.

13. Case of Galileo.

CHAP. V. OF THE CONCEPTION OF A FIRST CAUSE

The Origin of things is not naturally discoverable;

Yet has always been sought after.

Art. 1.

2.

3.

There must be a First Cause.

7.

The Whole Course of Nature must have a Cause.

Idea of a First Cause is Necessary.

11. Conception of a First Cause.

12. The First Cause in all Sciences is the same.

13.

We are thus led to Moral Subjects.

Conclusion of Part I.

700

Quæ adhuc inventa sunt in Scientiis, ea hujusmodi sunt ut Notionibus Vulgaribus fere subjaceant: ut vero ad interiora et remotiora Naturæ penetretur, necesse est ut tam NOTIONES quam AXIOMATA magis certâ et munitâ viâ a particularibus abstrahantur; atque omnino melior et certior intellectûs adoperatio in usum veniat.

BACON, Nov. Org., Lib. 1. Aphor. xviii.

BOOK I.

OF IDEAS IN GENERAL.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE, if the phrase were to be understood in the comprehensive sense which most naturally offers itself to our thoughts, would imply nothing less than a complete insight into the essence and conditions of all real knowledge, and an exposition of the best methods for the discovery of new truths. We must narrow and lower this conception, in order to mould it into a form in which we may make it the immediate object of our labours with a good hope of success; yet still it may be a rational and useful undertaking, to endeavour to make some advance towards such a Philosophy, even according to the most ample conception of it which we can form. The present work has been written with a view of contributing, in some measure, however small it may be, towards such an undertaking.

But in this, as in every attempt to advance beyond the position which we at present occupy, our hope of success must depend mainly upon our being able to profit, to the fullest extent, by the progress already made. We may best hope to understand the nature and conditions of real knowledge, by studying the nature and conditions of the most certain and stable portions of knowledge which we already possess: and we are most likely to learn the best methods of discovering truth, by

VOL. I. W. P.

B