To sum up. We recognize, then, the absolute authority of science, because the sole object of science is the mental reproduction, as well-considered
and systematic as possible, of the natural laws inherent in the material, intellectual, and moral life of both the physical and the social worlds,
these two worlds constituting, in fact, but one and the same natural world. Outside of this only legitimate authority, legitimate because rational and
in harmony with human liberty, we declare all other authorities false, arbitrary and fatal.
We recognize the absolute authority of science, but we reject the infallibility and universality of the savant. In our church-if I may be permitted to
use for a moment an expression which I so detest: Church and State are my two bêtes noires-in our church, as in the Protestant church, we have a
chief, an invisible Christ, science; and, like the Protestants, more logical even than the Protestants, we will suffer neither pope, nor council, nor
conclaves of infallible cardinals, nor bishops, nor even priests. Our Christ differs from the Protestant and Christian Christ in this-that the latter
is a personal being, ours impersonal; the Christian Christ, already completed in an eternal past, presents himself as a perfect being, while the
completion and perfection of our Christ, science, are ever in the future: which is equivalent to saying that they will never be realized. Therefore,
in recognizing absolute science as the only absolute authority, we in no way compromise our liberty.
I mean by the words "absolute science," the truly universal science which would reproduce ideally, to its fullest extent and in all its infinite
detail, the universe, the system or co-ordination of all the natural laws manifested by the incessant development of the world. It is evident that
such a science, the sublime object of all the efforts of the human mind, will never be fully and absolutely realized. Our Christ, then, will remain
eternally unfinished, which must considerably take down the pride of his licensed representatives among us. Against that God the Son in whose name
they assume to impose upon us their insolent and pedantic authority, we appeal to God the Father, who is the real world, real life, of which he (the
Son) is only a too imperfect expression, whilst we real beings, living, working, struggling, loving, aspiring, enjoying, and suffering, are its
immediate representatives.
But, while rejecting the absolute, universal, and infallible authority of men of science, we willingly bow before the respectable, although relative,
quite temporary, and very restricted authority of the representatives of special sciences, asking nothing better than to consult them by turns, and
very grateful for such precious information as they may extend to us, on condition of their willingness to receive from us on occasions when, and
concerning matters about which, we are more learned than they. In general, we ask nothing better than to see men endowed with great knowledge, great
experience, great minds, and, above all, great hearts, exercise over us a natural and legitimate influence, freely accepted, and never imposed in the
name of any official authority whatsoever, celestial or terrestrial. We accept all natural authorities and all influences of fact, but none of right;
for every authority or every influence of right, officially imposed as such, becoming directly an oppression and a falsehood, would inevitably impose
upon us, as I believe I have sufficiently shown, slavery and absurdity.
|
) som lever i träden. Det är bara det att pungen
sitter upp-och-ner, och används därför inte. Det är inte konstigt eftersom djuret utvecklats från att gå på alla fyra (då pungen var vänd bakåt och
funkade) men sen har det utvecklats till en annan art.
rna ovan är giltiga
konklusioner. Eller att modus ponens är en giltig resonemangsform. Eller vilken annan logisk form som helst.