The Hartford Seminary Record (1895) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 34 might perhaps better be called Epic poetry with a slight admixture of metaphysics. Such a varying use of the word Evolution is common enough to pass without censure, perhaps, were it not necessary to guard against contradictory conclusions which may be drawn from its different uses, and were it not true that the author is somewhat peculiarly liable to such infelicities. For example, on p. 329 he says, "There is only one theory of the method of Creation in the field, and that is Evolution; but there is only one theory of origins in the field, and that is Creation." The first clause might be understood, in a general way, without great difficulty. The question of origination being laid aside, it might be interpreted to mean that the present state of the universe was brought about by the method of Evolution. This "bringing about" might be loosely called " Creation." But in the second clause " Creation " is specifically defined as "the only theory of origins." If Creation is the theory of origins and Evolution the method of Creation, then Evolution is the method of origins. This is in flat contradiction to the statement already quoted that " Evolution throws no light on ultimate causes," and, more than that, is contradicted by the two sentences which follow it. " Instead of abolishing a creative hand, Evolution demands it. Instead of being opposed to Creation, all theories begin by assuming it." Another curious example of confused logic appears on p. 209: " Fitness to survive is simply littedness, and has nothing to do with strength or courage, or intelligence or cunning as such, but only with adjustments as fit or unfit to the world around. A prize-lighter is stronger than a cripple; but in the environment of modern life the cripple is cared for by the people, is judged f...