ved that this is
the core of the question, and staked the whole answer to it on an
extremely simple issue. He said that unless we can show in the
disposition of heavenly bodies some morphological resemblance to the
structure of a human brain, we are precluded from rationally
entertaining any probability that self-conscious volition belongs to the
universe. Obviously, this way of presenting the case is so grossly
illogical that even the exigencies of popular exposition cannot be held
to justify the presentation. For aught that we can know to the contrary,
not merely the highly specialized structure of the human brain, but even
that of nervous matter in general, may only be one of a thousand
possible ways in which the material and dynamical conditions required
for the apparition of self-consciousness can be secured. To imagine that
the human brain of necessity exhausts these possibilities is in the last
degree absurd. Therefore, we may suggest the following presentation of
Clifford's case as one that is less obviously inadequate:--if any
resemblance to the material and dynamical conditions of the microcosm
can be detected in the macrocosm, we should have good reason to ascribe
to the latter those attributes of subjectivity which we know as
belonging to the former; but if no such resemblance can be traced, we
shall have some reason to suppose that these attributes do not belong to
the universe. Even this, however, I should regard as much too wide a
statement of the case. To take the particular conditions under which
alone subjectivity is known to occur upon a single planet as exhausting
the possibilities of its occurrence elsewhere, is too flagrant a use of
the method of simple enumeration to admit of a moment's countenance.
Even the knowledge that we have of the two great conditions under which
terrestrial subjectivities occur--circumscription and complexity--is
only empirical. It may well be that elsewhere (or apart from the
conditions imposed by nervous tissue) subjectivity is possible
irrespective both of circumscription and of complexity. Therefore,
properly or logically regarded, the great use of the one exhibition of
subjectivity furnished to human experience, is the proof thus furnished
that subjectivity is possible under _some_ conditions; and the utmost
which on the grounds of such proof human experience is entitled to argue
is, that _probably_, if subjectivity is possible elsewhere, its
possibility is given by th