A Novel Theory.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 8, 4 October 1907, Page 3

A Novel Theory.

SENTIENT ETHER. PAPER BEFORE PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE. . At the irtceting, of the Pkilo* sophical Institute on Wednesday ■ night, Professor Maurice Richmond reacl a highly condensed statement of a new hypothesis, in methaphysics which ho has formed. Professor Richmond explained that he was led to bring forward the hypothesis because its English publication had been considerably delayed, and meanwhile two scicntific friends, whose opinion had much weight, while not agreeing with his suggestion, had considered it original and of special interest. The condensed statement was as follows:— Conscious "Monads." "The hypothesis accepts the latest view of tho constitution of the Universe, according to which the whole of the material world (including both ponderable .matter and tho imponderable ether), and the whole of the plienoniQna of the material world, is resolved into tho elements of the ether and the transmission- of states through ■tho elements (or from clement to element) of the ether.- These elements of tho other are, in the hypothesis, .designated monads, and 'they are treated by the hypothesis as being not merely physical, but also methaphysical, entities or beings, ,to every one of which is attributed at least an elemontary consciousness: Every single monad of the ether is fyeated as having a ' sense of the existence of' its neighbour monads, as having feelings and being affected towards them, and as willing the effects which it produces upon thc-m. Every single monad of the ether is therefore conscious in all tho three ways of knowing, feeling ana willing. Brain influence. • > "But the simplicity or complexity of tho consciousness of any monad varies immensely, from a very groat simplicity when little in the way of change is going on around it. and :n it (as for instance, in inter-stellar or ultra-stellar space),' to a very great .complexity' when it is, for instance, surrounded by the brain of a main aild subject to the influences of, the immensely complex processes going on in tho brain of a man. -It is a part of the hypothesis that tho principal scat of consciousness in man is in certain •of tho monads of the ether, 1 permoating,o r surrounded by? tho brain of tho ihan, and occupying a certain, probably varying,. position (relatively to the brain as a whole) to which the influences of the process going on in the cortex of the brain can be transmitted through the intervening mon- • ads without' mutual interference., it is a necessary part of the hypothesis ithat tho 'successive states of'consciousness of a man aro not experi-enced-by a single permanent entity or soul, but by a succession of entities or souls, namely, the monads of the ether which from timo to time occupy - the central position in the brain of the man. The sense of continued personal identity is, according to tho hypothesis, created and maintained, notwithstanding this, by'the continued corporate identity of the brain and nervous systom and body, notwithstanding continual changes of the elements which constitute' them, and by the functions of tho. brain as' the organ of memory and anticipation.A Spiritual and Conscious Universe. "Speaking generally, tho hypothesis is ono that tho wholo Universe is.spirit-' , ual and conscious, but that its coil-' . sciousness at. different points' varies immensely as to its simplicity or com-, plexity, human consciousness existing at, those points which are for the , time boingisubject to the immediate, '.or practically immediate, influences of a human brain." Interesting Comments. Ail interesting discussion followed the reading of the hypothesis.Mr. R. C. Harding criticised the paper at some length. , Dr.; Tudor Jov.es, while not agreeing on every point with the address, . said that Professor Richmond had at least attacked, and 011 some points, he believed, successfully, some of tho deepest problems which the human mind could assail. Professor' Kirk stated that if the hypothesis was correct it would explain many .problems 'hitherto unsolvable, such as tho problem of heredity. Professor Richmond,, in replying, emphasised the excessivo and, perhaps, misleading condensation of tho theory.