Last Words On Materialism And Kindred Subjects

LAST WORDS ON MATERIALISM AND KIXDRKD sriUHlTS. PROFESSOR LUDWIG BUCHNKR, M. D. Author of F rce and Mattel . uni A, IFK o rtn VLTHOH HY His BROFHKI ruoi . u JOSEPH McCAIJK. ISSUED HY THE AM 70XJL. S7 PRESS ASSOCLA 7O. V, Ltd. WATTS A Co., 17, JOHNSONS COURT, FLEET STREET, LONDON, E. C. 1901 TRANSLATORS PREFACE. THERE has been so widespread an interest in the translation of Dr. Haeckels Riddle of the Universe, published by the Rationalist Press Association last year, that it has been decided to introduce to English readers the last work of his distinguished colleague, the author of Force and Matter. After his death it was found that Dr. Buchner had selected a number of the occasional papers he had written between 1891 and 1899 for publication under the fitting title of In the Service of Truth. From these I have selected for translation the essays of universal and more enduring interest. No man had juster claim to the title Dr. Buchner suggested but he is best known to English readers as the author of Force and Matter, and the following papers are most correctly described as a continuance and manifold application of the contro versy that famous book aroused. Materialism is the title his opponents insist on giving to his views vi TRANSLATORS PREFACE. Monism is his own, and the correct, appellation. And in these papers we find him defending his system, and studying its every facet and extension, with his Well-known erudition, versatility of mind, and force of literary expression. The date of the publication of each paper is indicated in the table of contents. September, 1901. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION LIFE OF LUDWIG BUCHNFR . . ix WHAT is MATTER 1891 .... 1 MATERIALISM A REJOINDER 1891 8 THKNATURE OF THE Son. 1893 . . .20 THE UNITY OF MATTER 1894 . . . .32 JACOB MOLEHCHOTT 1894 .... 40 APRIORISM AND EVOLUTION 18 J4 . . .62 CHRISTIANITY AND BUDDHISM 1894 . . .76 CHRISTIANITY AND THE FAMILY 1894 . . .88 CHRISTIANITY AND SCIENCE 1894 . . .92 VIRCHOW AND DARWINISM 1895 . . .97 SCIENCE AND METAPHYSICS 1805 . . . 106 THE SOURCES OF BUDDHISM 1895 . . .119 THB HEREDITY OF ACQUIRED CHARACTERS 1896 . 126 KARL VOOT 1896 . . . . .138 THE UNKNOWABLE 1897 .... 145 TRUTH AND FANCY IN HYPNOTISM 1897 . . 154 THB DISTRIBUTION OF BLOOD IN THE ANIMAL AND THE SOCIAL ORGANISM 1897 .... 177 NBO-LAMARCKISM 1897 . . . .188 IDEALISM AND POSITIVISM 1897 . . . 196 HUMAN PYGMIES OF THE STONE AGE 1897 . . 202 ANIMISM, SPIRITISM, AND OCCULTISM OR, ANCIENT AMD MODERN GHOSTS 1897 .... 212 THOMAS HOBBES 1897 .... 219 THE FREEDOM OF SCIENCE AND THE UNIVERSITIES 1898 ...... 226 THB OVER-MAN IN MODERN LITERATURE 1898 . 236 CONTENTS. PAGB SCIENCE AND MxTEBlALffiM 1898 . . .240 FBOM THE NEBULA TO MAN 1898 . . .245 THE ORIGIN OF MAN 1898 . . . .256 THE LATEST ABOUT PBOTOPLASM 1899 . - 261 MORE ABOUT PHILOSOPHIC MATERIALISM 1899 . 268 THE PROBLEM or KNOWLEDGE IN THE SERVICE OF SCIENCE 1899 . . - - .275 KNOWLEDGE AND EVOLUTION 1899 . . 284 INTRODUCTION. THE LIFE OF LUDWIG BUCHNER. As I am the last surviving member of our generation of the family, I have been requested to give from my recollections a sketch of the life of my late brother Ludwig. Only three years younger than he, I spent my childhood and early youth in his constant com panionship nor were we separated in our University career and the later years of struggle and conflict. Hence these pages will be devoted chiefly to a record of internal developmentand to the family life. The external events of Uia jtfe offer no peculiar interest, and do not therefore call for special description. In our native town, Darmstadt, my father was a novus homo he did not belong to any of the old families of State officials which made up the popu lation. He came from Reinheim, a small town that lay about three hours journey to the east of Darm stadt, and was the son of an army surgeon with a large family...