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UNIVERSITY COURIER.
the one hand objective facts and on the other subjective knowledge and hypotheses.
Beginning with Kant's assertion that in every science only so much true—that is, objective knowledge is to be found as it contains mathematics, Haeckel says that unquestionably mathematics stands at the heap of all sciences in point of certainty. But how as to those deepest and simplest fundamental axioms which constitute the firm basis on which the proud edifice of mathematical teaching rests? Are they certain and proved? No. Being axioms, they are incapable of proof. But, granting that mathematics practically constitutes an absolutely certain and objective science, how is it with the rest of the sciences? Those sciences called "exact sciences," it is true, are capable of mathematical proof. They, however, form but a small part of all the sciences. Newton's theory of gravitation is regarded as the most important and certain theory of physics; and yet gravitation itself is a hypothesis. Electricity and magnetism rest upon the hypothesis of imponderable matter. The undulating theory of light postulates an ethereal medium, whose existence no one is in a position to prove objectively in any way. In chemistry the atomic theory is taught, but that theory is unproved, and is as unprovable as any theory can be. No one ever saw an atom; yet we talk about atoms as though they were tangible realities. In geology we meet, in regard to certainty, the same obstacles. The evolution of the globe rests on an unproved hypothesis. How can we be sure that fossils are the remains of extinct organisms? Experiment, "the highest means of proof," has not and cannot produce a fossil. Scarcely anything, if anything, in geology is capable of mathematical proof. The same may be said of history, philology, political science, and jurisprudence. Therefore, when we omit the problems, the theories, the hypotheses by which we seek to explain masses of facts, we have but little left, and that little of no value whatever.
Haeckel, in reply to the attack on evolution, affirms that the origin of species can be explained in no other way. His first great principle is that all natural phenomena, without exception, from the motions of the heavenly bodies to the consciousness of man, obey one and the same law of causation; that all may be ultimately referred to the mechanics of atoms. He next asserts that the doctrine of derivation or theory of descent, as a comprehensive theory of the natural origin of all organisms, assumes that all compound organisms are derived from simple ones, all manycelled animals and plants from single-celled ones, and these last from quite simple primary organisms—from monads. Finally, he holds that the doctrine of elimination assumes that almost all organic species have originated by a process of selection, that the transformation of organic forms has taken place through the reciprocal action of the laws of inheritance and of adaptation. These principles, in Haeckel's opinion, are based upon indisputable facts, and their truth cannot be denied.
Being true, the existence of man can be explained only by assuming that he was developed from the lower forms of life, and the statement that "man is descended from the ape" means nothing more and nothing less than that the human species as a whole was long since developed from the order of apes—indeed, actually from one long since extinct form of ape; that the immediate progenitors of man in the long series of his vertebrate ancestry were apes, or ape-like animals. Virchow denying this, Haeckel asks him to explain how man did appear. If the evolution of man is not true, what is true? If there are no facts to prove that this is true, where are the facts to prove any other conceivable hypothesis? Haeckel quotes the statement of Huxley that "in every single visible character man differs less from the higher apes than these do from the lower members of the same order." He does not believe that Virchow knows what he is talking about when he dissents from the truths established by Darwin. It is possible he thinks that Virchow has run over the works of that great naturalist, but never studied them. To his mind evolution is a fact, and the genesis of man, being shown by such a mass of evidence, he thinks that both have been reclaimed from the domain of speculation and should be freely taught. It being true, there can only follow therefrom the very best of results.
DR. MARVIN has received 400 new chairs for the University. These chairs are models of convenience and usefulness, and were designed according to a plan of the Doctor's. They are large and roomy, and besides have on the right side front an inclined writing-board for taking notes.
The University, now as heretofore, is too careless of athletic sports. It would be profitable to organize a ball club. There are yet six weeks of good weather for out-door sport. We have the boys, and all that is wanting is a leader.