Page:Mind (New Series) Volume 9.djvu/537

VI. DISCUSSIONS. BOME {PHYSICAL CONCLUSIONS IN KF>PK<T I" 8PACI THE apparent platitude of the ensuing paragraph may be excused, as a preface essential to the argument immediately following. That which appeals to our senses directly can only do so by the agency of force ; and the various forces exhibited determilM the various properties of the object. Thus Matter exhibits resist- ance to disintegration through the force " cohesion " ; elasticity is the concomitant of force-action. Colour cannot be impressed on consciousness without the action of force, neither can form (or shapes of objects) be evident without touch or sight both involv- ing the agency of force. Some, it appears, express wonder why Space has no positive property or attribute (comparable to that Matter possesses). But how could Space have a positive property of this kind, unless it could act on consciousness by means of force ? Now, in harmony with observation, Space (in the true sense of the term) that is Void or pure vacuity cannot possibly exert force on anything 1 . This may serve to explain why the existence of Space can only be demonstrated indirectly, or by logical inference. Of course, by " Space " is here meant the Void that inferential ly exists, when all material is supposed removed from any given locality. But it seems that a notable error has been made in classing Space (and also Time) with material things ; in putting in the same category the non-material,-' upon which force cannot act, and the material, where forces are influential or active. This error (pointed out briefly in the author's article in MIND for April, 1900) has apparently led to some remarkable consequences. Space and Time are classed with masses, colours, sounds, odours. Dr. Mach (of Vienna) in an able work on psychological physics 1 Another continuing indication of Space not being connected with force, is its permanent unchanging character. It is the i to produce change. Force ilofi cause repeated obaogei in Mai "effects ") ; whereas there are no such corresponding effects cor with Space. 2 Xon-material existence, as here defined, is something which poe immunity from force-action, in our experience; while contrar "material" existence is subject to force-action.