§ 3. Hylozoism.
Hylozoism, from vX-rj, matter^ and t,(arj, life^ is properly the doctrine that matter is endued with hfe. And this is the form in which the ■doctrine was held by many of its advocates. All matter, and every particle of matter, besides its physical properties, has a principle of life in itself, which precludes the necessity of assuming any other cause for the phenomena of life exhibited in the world. In this form Hylozoism does not differ from Matei'ialism.
Most commonly, however, the tei'm is used to designate a system which admits a distinction between mind and matter, but considers them as intimately and inseparably united, as the soul and body in man. God, according to this view, is the soul of the world ; an intelligent power everywhere present, to which are to be referred all the manifestations of design in the external world, and all the activity of the human soul. The relation, however, of the soul to the body, is a very imperfect illustration of the relation of God to the world according to the hylozoistic system. The soul is really exterior to the body, and independent of it, at least for its existence and activity. It is not the life of the body. It neither fashions nor preserves it. It is not even conscious of the vital activity by which the body is developed and sustained. Whereas according to the hylozoistic theory, the soul of the world is its plastic principle, the inward source of all its organizations and of all its activities.
The leading principles of this theory as developed by the Stoics are, (1.) There are two constituent principles of the universe, one active, the other passive. The passive principle is matter, without form and without properties, i. e., inert. The active principle is mind, dwelling in matter its organizing formative pow^er, i. e., God. (2.) The universe is therefore to be viewed under three as- pects : (a.) As the all-forming power ; the natura naturans, or, -rj (pvaLs TexviK-q. (6.) The world as formed by this living, inward principle. The living koo-^ios, or natura naturata. (c.) The iden- tity of the two, as they form one whole. It is only by an act of the mind that the one is distinguished from the other. Therefore the world, as including both, or as the identity of both, is formed with the greatest wisdom, and by a necessary process, for the laws of nature ai'e the laws of reason. Cicero,^ expounding this system, says, " Natura, non artificiosa solum, sed plane artifex ab eodem Zenone dicitur; consultrix, et provida utilitatum opportunitatumque omnium. Censet [Zeno] enim artis maxime proprium est creare et gignere, quodque in operibus nostrarum artium manus officiet, id multo artificiosius naturam officere."
1 De Natura Dewum, ii. 22, p. 1116, edit. Leipzig, 1850.
246 PART I. — THEOLOGY. [Ch. m. — Anti-Theism.
(3.) Tlie universe, tliei-efore (The All-one), of which God is the soul and Nature the body, is living, immortal, rational, and perfect (^cooi^ addvarov, AoyiKov, riXeiov). God, as the Controlling, operative principle in all things, acts according to necessary, although rational laws. (4.) The souls of men are of the same nature with the soul of the world, but as individual existences, passing away when the life of the body ceases. (5.) The highest end of life is virtue ; and virtue is living according to reason.-"^
This system in one of its forms is nearly identical with Material- ism, and in the other with Pantheism. There is no personal God to whom we are responsible, no freedom of the will ; therefore, no sin, and no conscious existence after death.
§ 4. Materialism. Materialism is that system which ignores the distinction between matter and mind, and refers all the phenomena of the world, whether physical, vital, or mental, to the functions of matter.
A. The Doctrine of Epicurus. Epicurus taught, (1.) That as ex nihilo nihil fit, the universe has always existed, and must continue to exist forever. (2.) That space, and the number of bodies which it contains, are infinite. (3.) These bodies are of two kinds, simple and compound. The simple bodies are atoms possessing form, magnitude, and weight. They are indivisible, unalterable, and indestructible. This is also the doctrine of modern science. Faraday ^ says, " A particle of oxy- gen is ever a particle of oxygen, — nothing can in the least wear it. If it enters into combination, and disappears as .oxygen ; if it pass through a thousand combinations, animal, vegetable, and mineral — if it lie hid for a thousand years, and then be evolved, it is oxygen with its first qualities, neither more nor less. It has all its original force, and only that ; the amount of force which it disengaged when hiding itself, has again to be employed in a reverse direction when it is set at liberty." (4.) These atoms have their peculiar forces, distinct from their mere gravity. This, too, is the doctrine of modern science. It is included in what Faraday says in the passage just quoted. " Molecules," say the scientific men of our day, " have been endowed with forces which give' rise to various chemical qualities, and these never change either in their nature or
1 See Rixner's GeschicJUe der Philosoplde, vol. i. sect. 120.
2 See Youmans' Conservation and Correlation of Forces, p. 372.