y an irresistible law of
thought, "_all phenomena present themselves to us as the expression of
power_, and refer us to a causal ground whence they issue."

[Footnote 887: "Timaeus," ch. ix.; also "Philebus," Sec. 45.]

[Footnote 888: "Sophist," Sec. 109.]

[Footnote 889: "Post. Analytic," bk. ii. ch. xvi.; "Metaphysics," bk. i.
ch. i. Sec. 3.]

The major premise of this syllogism is a fact of observation.

To the eye of sense and sensible observation, to scientific induction
even in its highest generalizations, the visible universe presents
nothing but a history and aggregation of phenomena--a succession of
appearances or effects having more or less resemblance. It is a
ceaseless flow and change, "a generation and corruption," "a becoming,
but never really _is_;" it is never in two successive moments the
_same_.[890] All our cognitions of sameness, uniformity, causal
connection, permanent Being, real Power, are purely rational conceptions
_given in thought_, supplied by the spontaneous intuition of reason as
the correlative prefix to the phenomena observed.[891]

[Footnote 890: "Timaeus," ch. ix.]

[Footnote 891: Ibid.]

Therefore the ancient philosophers concluded justly, there must be
something [Greek: agenneton]--something which was never generated,
something [Greek: autophyes] and [Greek: authypostaton]--self-originated
and self-existing, something [Greek: tauton] and [Greek:
aionion]--immutable and eternal, the object of rational
apperception--which is the real ground and efficient cause of all that
appears.

(2.) The COSMOLOGICAL proof, or the argument based upon the principle of
order, and thus presented:

Order, proportion, harmony, are the product and expression
of Mind.

The created universe reveals order, proportion, and harmony.

Therefore, the created universe is the product of Mind.

The fundamental law of thought which underlies this mode of proof was
clearly recognized by Pythagoras. All harmony and proportion and
symmetry is the result of _unity_ evolving itself in and pervading
_multiplicity_. Mind or reason is unity and indivisibility; matter is
diverse and multiple. Mind is the determinating principle; matter is
indeterminate and indefinite. Confused matter receives form, and
proportion, and order, and symmetry, by the action and interpenetration
of the spiritual and indivisible element. In presence of facts of order,
the human reason instinctively and necess