The Law is for All

120 The Law is for All Universe. As a is evidently “infinite & unknown”, its equal and opposite A must be so no less. Again, from any proposition “S is P,” reason deduces “S is not p”; thus the apparent finitude and knowability of S is deceptive, since it is in direct relation with p. No matter what n may be, x0, the number of the inductive numbers, is unaltered by adding or subtracting it. There are just as many odd numbers as there are numbers altogether. Our knowledge is confined to statements of the relations between cer­ tain sets of our own sensory impressions; and we are convinced by our limitations that “a factor infinite &c unknown” must be concealed within the sphere of which we see but one minute part of the surface. As to reason itself, what is more certain than that its laws are only the conscious expression of the limits imposed upon us by our animal nature, and that to attribute universal validity, or even significance, to them is a logical folly, the raving of our megalomania? Experiment proves nothing; it is surely obvious that we are obliged to correlate all observations with the physical and mental structure whose truth we are trying to test. Indeed, we can assume an “unreasonable” axiom, and translate the whole of our knowledge into its terms, without fear of stum­ bling over any obstacle. Reason is no more than a set of rules developed by the race; it takes no account of anything beyond sensory impressions and their reactions to various parts of our being. There is no possible escape from the vicious circle that we can register only the behaviour of our own instrument. We con­ clude from the fact that it behaves at all, that there must be “a factor infinite & unknown” at work upon it. This being the case, we may be sure that our apparatus is inherently incapable of discovering the truth about anything, even in part. Let me illustrate. I see a drop of water. Distrusting my eyes, I put it under the microscope. Still in doubt, I photograph and enlarge the slide. I compare my results with those of others. I check them by cultivating the germs in water, and injecting them into paupers. But I have learnt nothing at all about the “infinite & unknown”, merely producing all sorts of different impressions according to the conditions in which one observes it!