be relegated to a super-scientific
province. What does signify is that, taking a general view of nature,
we find it impossible to conceive of the extent and variety of her
harmonious processes as other than products of intelligent causation.
Now this sublimated form of the teleological argument, it will be
remembered, I denoted a metaphysical teleology, in order sharply to
distinguish it from all previous forms of that argument, which, in
contradistinction I denoted scientific teleologies. And the distinction,
it will be remembered, consisted in this--that while all previous forms
of teleology, by resting on a basis which was not beyond the possible
reach of science, laid themselves open to the possibility of scientific
refutation, the metaphysical system of teleology, by resting on a basis
which is clearly beyond the possible reach of science, can never be
susceptible of scientific refutation. And that this metaphysical system
of teleology does rest on such a basis is indisputable; for while it
accepts the most ultimate truths of which science can ever be
cognizant--viz. the persistence of force and the consequently necessary
genesis of natural law,--it nevertheless maintains that the necessity of
regarding Mind as the ultimate cause of things is not on this account
removed; and, therefore, that if science now requires the operation of a
Supreme Mind to be posited in a super-scientific sphere, then in a
super-scientific sphere it ought to be posited. No doubt this hypothesis
at first sight seems gratuitous, seeing that, so far as science can
penetrate, there is no need of any such hypothesis at all--cosmic
harmony resulting as a physically necessary consequence from the
combined action of natural laws, which in turn result as a physically
necessary consequence of the persistence of force and the primary
qualities of matter. But although it is thus indisputably true that
metaphysical teleology is wholly gratuitous if considered
scientifically, it may not be true that it is wholly gratuitous if
considered psychologically. In other words, if it is more conceivable
that Mind should be the ultimate cause of cosmic harmony than that the
persistence of force should be so, then it is not irrational to accept
the more conceivable hypothesis in preference to the less conceivable
one, provided that the choice is made with the diffidence which is
required by the considerations adduced in Chapter V [especially the
_Canon of probabi