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ot entitled to draw any line of demarcation between such an object of inference and others which may be made objects of sense…perception。 To set apart the ether as constituting an 〃unseen universe〃 is therefore illegitimate and confusing。 It introduces a distinction where there is none； and obscures the fact that both invisible ether and visible matter form but one grand universe in which the sum of energy remains constant； though the order of its distribution endlessly varies。
Very different would be the logical position of a theory which should assume the existence of an 〃Unseen World〃 entirely spiritual in constitution； and in which material conditions like those of the visible world should have neither place nor meaning。 Such a world would not consist of ethers or gases or ghosts； but of purely psychical relations akin to such as constitute thoughts and feelings when our minds are least solicited by sense…perceptions。 In thus marking off the 〃Unseen World〃 from the objective universe of which we have knowledge； our line of demarcation would at least be drawn in the right place。 The distinction between psychical and material phenomena is a distinction of a different order from all other distinctions known to philosophy； and it immeasurably transcends all others。 The progress of modern discovery has in no respect weakened the force of Descartes's remark； that between that of which the differential attribute is Thought and that of which the differential attribute is Extension； there can be no similarity； no community of nature whatever。 By no scientific cunning of experiment or deduction can Thought be weighed or measured or in any way assimilated to such things as may be made the actual or possible objects of sense…perception。 Modern discovery； so far from bridging over the chasm between Mind and Matter； tends rather to exhibit the distinction between them as absolute。 It has； indeed； been rendered highly probable that every act of consciousness is accompanied by a molecular motion in the cells and fibres of the brain； and materialists have found great comfort in this fact； while theologians and persons of little faith have been very much frightened by it。 But since no one ever pretended that thought can go on； under the conditions of the present life； without a brain； one finds it rather hard to sympathize either with the self…congratulations of Dr。 Buchner's disciples＇8＇ or with the terrors of their opponents。 But what has been less commonly remarked is the fact that when the thought and the molecular movement thus occur simultaneously； in no scientific sense is the thought the product of the molecular movement。 The sun…derived energy of motion latent in the food we eat is variously transformed within the organism； until some of it appears as the motion of the molecules of a little globule of nerve…matter in the brain。 In a rough way we might thus say that the chemical energy of the food indirectly produces the motion of these little nerve…molecules。 But does this motion of nerve…molecules now produce a thought or state of consciousness？ By no means。 It simply produces some other motion of nerve…molecules； and this in turn produces motion of contraction or expansion in some muscle； or becomes transformed into the chemical energy of some secreting gland。 At no point in the whole circuit does a unit of motion disappear as motion to reappear as a unit of consciousness。 The physical process is complete in itself； and the thought does not enter into it。 All that we can say is； that the occurrence of the thought is simultaneous with that part of the physical process which consists of a molecular movement in the brain。＇9＇ To be sure； the thought is always there when summoned； but it stands outside the dynamic circuit； as something utterly alien from and incomparable with the events which summon it。 No doubt； as Professor Tyndall observes； if we knew exhaustively the physical state of the brain； 〃the corresponding thought or feeling might be inferred； or； given the thought or feeling； the corresponding state of the brain might be inferred。 But how inferred？ It would be at bottom not a case of logical inference at all； but of empirical association。 You may reply that many of the inferences of science are of this character； the inference； for example； that an electric current of a given direction will deflect a magnetic needle in a definite way； but the cases differ in this； that the passage from the current to the needle； if not demonstrable； is thinkable； and that we entertain no doubt as to the final mechanical solution of the problem。 But the passage from the physics of the brain to the corresponding facts of consciousness is unthinkable。 Granted that a definite thought and a definite molecular action in the brain occur simultaneously； we do not possess the intellectual organ； nor apparently any rudiment of the organ； which would enable us to pass by a process of reasoning from the one to the other。 They appear together； but we do not know why。〃＇10＇
＇8＇ The Nation once wittily described these people as 〃people who believe that they are going to die like the beasts； and who congratulate themselves that they are going to die like the beasts。〃
＇9＇ For a fuller exposition of this point； see my Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy； Vol。 II。 pp。 436…445。
＇10＇ Fragments of Science； p。 119。
An unseen world consisting of purely psychical or spiritual phenomena would accordingly be demarcated by an absolute gulf from what we call the material universe； but would not necessarily be discontinuous with the psychical phenomena which we find manifested in connection with the world of matter。 The transfer of matter； or physical energy； or anything else that is quantitatively measurable； into such an unseen world； may be set down as impossible； by reason of the very definition of such a world。 Any hypothesis which should assume such a transfer would involve a contradiction in terms。 But the hypothesis of a survival of present psychical phenomena in such a world； after being denuded of material conditions； is not in itself absurd or self…contradictory； though it may be impossible to support it by any arguments drawn from the domain of human experience。 Such is the shape which it seems to me that； in the present state of philosophy； the hypothesis of a future life must assume。 We have nothing to say to gross materialistic notions of ghosts and bogies； and spirits that upset tables and whisper to ignorant vulgar women the wonderful information that you once had an aunt Susan。 The unseen world imagined in our hypothesis is not connected with the present material universe by any such 〃invisible bonds〃 as would allow Bacon and Addison to come to Boston and write the silliest twaddle in the most ungrammatical English before a roomful of people who have never learned how to test what they are pleased to call the 〃evidence of their senses。〃 Our hypothesis is expressly framed so as to exclude all intercourse whatever between the unseen world of spirit unconditioned by matter and the present world of spirit conditioned by matter in which all our experiences have been gathered。 The hypothesis being framed in such a way； the question is； What has philo