Some Difficulties of Modern Materialism [pp. 344-372]

THE PRINCETON RE VIEW.
false. By hypothesis all of those thoughts which collide with
materialism are false. In particular, the notions of right and
wrong and freedom and all religious beliefs are pure fictions, by
hypothesis, of course. Throughout the world-process there is a
strong and almost overwhelming tendency to dream and falsehood; and but for a few advanced thoughts, error would have
reigned supreme. Sadly enough, also, whether these advanced
thoughts shall hold their own depends in no way upon their
truth, but upon the nerves. Beliefs too are seen to be changing. This fact in itself is insignificant, but it is important in its
implications. Each belief is the inner side of a nervous state;
and a change in one points to a change in the other. What direction the nervous states will take in the future is not clear.
It is highly improbable that the evolution philosophy is itself
the only philosophy which is exempt from the law of evolution.
We must expect that sooner or later all things and opinions
will pass, the evolution dogma among the rest. The outlook
upon practice is equally suggestive. Hitherto action has been
under the influence of those nervous states which have God,
freedom, and righteousness for their inner face. It is.not sure
what it will be when they are displaced by opposite nervous
states. History and experience are not without their suggestions; and theory points to a reversal of current principles of
action. If it were simply a matter of opinion, it would be immaterial; but as it is a matter of profound changes in the nerves, a
change of some kind must result. There is no telling what horrors the nerves may have in store. Of course in this language
there is an implicit assumption of freedom, but it is in the language only. We expressly disclaim all power to order our
thoughts, to criticise, to draw conclusions, or to resign ourselves
to the inevitable.
Plainly this result logically cancels all further inquiry. If
there were a mind able to grasp the theory and its consequences, it would declare that the mind can be only a passive
spectator of the nervous unfolding. But of course there is
no spectator, passive or otherwise. The advanced thinker himself vanishes into advanced thoughts. The nerves are all and
in all. The preparation of this paper has been attended by
some thoughts; but that thought at most was only the sign to
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