er, but
rather the uncertainty of the idea of species in general and the
worthlessness of the skeleton-forms, for this idea, in such low
organizations as the sponges. But that objection already loses its chief
force from the consideration that we have not only never observed the
origin of one species from another, but never even the origin of a species
itself; and that nevertheless all species have successively originated in
time. If we, therefore, are not able to observe directly their origination,
we have a right to make all possible attempts at approaching the knowledge
of it in an indirect way. But we see this objection invalidated by still
another {76} fact. From all observations, it seems to be evident that those
agencies which originated the species in general have ceased since man
appeared. Now this fact is inconvenient for all those who, on metaphysical
grounds, reject aim and purpose in the world and accept an aimless motion
in the universe, a circle in which only identical powers are ever active to
all eternity. From this standpoint, the scientists cannot, except by very
artificial hypotheses, escape the conclusion that, if new species once
originated through descent, new species ought still to originate through
descent. In like manner, it is true, they are also obliged to accept the
other conclusion: that if new species once originated through primitive
generation, new species ought still to originate through primitive
generation. On the other hand, those scientists who recognize aims in the
world for which the world and each part of it is destined, and which are
attained in the world through the processes of coming into existence, have
to expect in advance that the organic kingdoms are also planned with
reference to those aims. They naturally see the aim of the origin of
species attained, where in the organic world beings appear who combine with
the highest physical organization a self-conscious and responsible
spiritual life, and who are capable of conceiving the ideal, even the idea
of God. For, with the appearance of these beings, there enter upon the
theatre of the world beings who go beyond the value of a purely physical
organism and of a purely somato-psychical life, and in like manner
represent again a higher order of beings; just as the first appearance of
organic life on earth once introduced a new and higher stage of {77}
existence in contrast to the inorganic world. Scientists who take this
standpo