also be physical in its
nature; hence will (supposedly a non-physical event) cannot possibly
play a part, or be a true cause.

5. _Philosophical Science_ contends that Nature is a "closed circle."
Mechanical causation holds supreme sway. Everything happens according to
law and order. If Free Will were allowed a place in the scheme of
things, chance and caprice would immediately be introduced into our
world--which could never be tolerated for a moment!

6. _Psychology_ holds that every mental state has its equivalent or
counterpart in a corresponding brain-state. But each brain-state is not
caused by the state of consciousness, but by the preceding brain-state.
Here, again, there is no room for "free will" to play any part.

(Inasmuch as we are approaching this subject from a purely scientific
point of view, the arguments drawn from sociology, ethics, and theology
need not here be discussed. The interested reader is referred to
Professor H. H. Horne's excellent little book, _Free Will and Human
Responsibility_, for an extremely clear summary of this problem.)

The reply of the Libertarian to these problems is usually somewhat as
follows:

1. The doctrine of Conservation has not been experimentally proved with
regard to the relation of mind and brain; it is only assumed. Still,
granting it to exist, all energy may, in its ultimate analysis, be
psychical, instead of physical, in its nature--the doctrine of idealism,
which is today gaining wider and wider acceptance, seeming to support
this view.

2. That man _resembles_ the lower animals does not prove that he is
_identical_ with them. On the contrary, the observed differences
constitute the very differences about which the argument rages. Further,
recent theories of organic evolution are tending to prove that interior
(spontaneous) forces play a part, as well as exterior forces.

3. If consciousness were a mere "epiphenomenon," having no "use" to the
organism, it would soon perish (if it ever appeared) according to the
law which says that all useless functions perish. But we know that, as a
matter of fact, consciousness has grown more and more complex, as
evolution has progressed.

4. The _Law of Causation_ is doubtless valid and universal; but to
assume that this is invariably physical begs the question at issue. May
there not be psychical causation? Only thorough-going materialism can
say "No" to this question; but materialism is today out of date.

5. _The