This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 edition. Excerpt: ... form war into a scientific art, which can scarcely be brought to a high degree of perfection by any nation, if it has not in other respects attained a considerable degree of development. And thus this expression of power, which is at all times dangerous, might have lost, at least on one side, some of ...
Read More
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 edition. Excerpt: ... form war into a scientific art, which can scarcely be brought to a high degree of perfection by any nation, if it has not in other respects attained a considerable degree of development. And thus this expression of power, which is at all times dangerous, might have lost, at least on one side, some of its horrors. In short, science facilitates, enlarges, and in various ways secures our condition in life, and removes various obstacles, which prevent the free activity of the spiritual development of mankind. II. Methods of Universal Natural Philosophy* 10. All precepts which can be given for the investigation of nature must spring from the fundamental truth: That the whole of nature is the revelation of an infinite rational will, and that it is the task of science to recognize as much of it as is possible to finite powers. From this great fundamental truth there proceeds a number of fundamental laws, which must hover before the eyes of the naturalist as eternal guiding stars. His chief task is: To seek for Reason in Nature. He must therefore admit that natural laws everywhere harmonize with reason, and that every appearance of an exception to this rule must proceed from the imperfection of his knowledge. No contradiction is possible in the laws of Nature; on the contrary, they are all in the most perfect harmony, and constitute together one sole inextinguishable Whole. If we direct our attention to the cause of the changes, we see that everything proceeds with perfect consistence. If then we direct our attention to what has been effected, we shall be compelled to admire each human representation of surpassing wisdom. We can frequently perceive so distinctly the exact consequence of events, that they may become a principle of...
Read Less