CAUSES OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE 261

power to think and act, and the influence exercised by our

own will. But there is another yet more noteworthy instance

of the exercise of power which may come within our

experience. When under strong temptation to indulge in

some very keen and entrancing pleasure, we can easily

perceive, if we will, the strong hold the desire for self-in-

dulgence has over us and its power and force in attracting

our will in one direction. Similarly, when the thought of

most repulsive consequences which will probably, or certainly,

follow such indulgence occurs to us, we may feel the power

exercised by that thought in repelling us from it and in some

contrary direction.

The idea of " power " or " force " is a primary ultimate

idea which cannot be resolved into other more fundamental

or elementary conceptions. If the reader doubts this, we

would recommend him to try so to resolve it himself.

But the reality of our conception of cause of our per-

ception of the universal and necessary truth of the law of

causation has been denied on the following grounds. It

is objected that though we have, of course, seen one condition,

relation, or event follow another condition, relation, or event,

we have never once perceived any inflow or passage of in-

fluence from one thing to another ; and yet the law of

causation implies the existence of such a thing. We have

never, it is further stated, really seen or felt any " causation,"

but only sequences of one kind or another. Therefore, it

is concluded, there is probably nothing but sequence, and

our idea of the passage of influence in causation is a mere

mistake, derived from foolishly transferring in imagination to

external things that " feeling of effort " which we experience

in our actions, such mistake being then perpetuated by

custom.

This objection is very easily answered. It is, of course,

quite true that we never see the act of physical causation

power to think and act, and the influence exercised by our

own will. But there is another yet more noteworthy instance

of the exercise of power which may come within our

experience. When under strong temptation to indulge in

some very keen and entrancing pleasure, we can easily

perceive, if we will, the strong hold the desire for self-in-

dulgence has over us and its power and force in attracting

our will in one direction. Similarly, when the thought of

most repulsive consequences which will probably, or certainly,

follow such indulgence occurs to us, we may feel the power

exercised by that thought in repelling us from it and in some

contrary direction.

The idea of " power " or " force " is a primary ultimate

idea which cannot be resolved into other more fundamental

or elementary conceptions. If the reader doubts this, we

would recommend him to try so to resolve it himself.

But the reality of our conception of cause of our per-

ception of the universal and necessary truth of the law of

causation has been denied on the following grounds. It

is objected that though we have, of course, seen one condition,

relation, or event follow another condition, relation, or event,

we have never once perceived any inflow or passage of in-

fluence from one thing to another ; and yet the law of

causation implies the existence of such a thing. We have

never, it is further stated, really seen or felt any " causation,"

but only sequences of one kind or another. Therefore, it

is concluded, there is probably nothing but sequence, and

our idea of the passage of influence in causation is a mere

mistake, derived from foolishly transferring in imagination to

external things that " feeling of effort " which we experience

in our actions, such mistake being then perpetuated by

custom.

This objection is very easily answered. It is, of course,

quite true that we never see the act of physical causation