實證哲學教程

destined wholly for our use, and involved in every way with our existence. The theological philosophy^ presenting this view, administered exactly the stimulus necessary to incite the human mind to the irksome labour without which it could make no progress. We can now scarcely conceive of such a state of things, our reason having become sufficiently mature to enter upon laborious scientific researches, without needing any such stimulus as wrought upon the imagina-METAPHYSICAL AND POSITIVE PHILOSOPHY. 5 tions of astrologers and alchemists. We have motive enough in the hope of discovering the laws of phenomena, with a view to the confii-mation or rejection of a theory. But it could not be so in the earliest days ; and it is to the chimeras of astrology and alchemy that we owe the long series of observations and experiments on which our positive science is based. Kepler felt this on behalf of astronomy, and Berthollet on behalf of chemistry. Thus was a spontaneous philosophy, the theological, the only possible beginning, method, and provisional system, out of which the Positive philosophy could grow. It is easy, after this, to perceive how Metaphysical methods and doctrines must have afforded the means of transition from the one to the other.