Comte's philosophy of the sciences : being an exposition of the principles of the Cours de philosophie positive of Auguste Comte / by G.H. Lewes.

  • Lewes, George Henry, 1817-1878.
Date:
1871
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Comte's philosophy of the sciences : being an exposition of the principles of the Cours de philosophie positive of Auguste Comte / by G.H. Lewes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    he objects to the Chemist undertaking to solve problems which require the co-operation of the Physiologist; he objects to a science which, while it has physiology for its subject matter, attempts to dispense 'with physiolo- gical Method. The very phrase, Chemistry of organized bodies, implies the presence of an element not within the competence of Chemistry, except upon a vicious extension of the term. Chemistry does not concern itself with the phenomena of Life; yet those phenomena are necessary to organized bodies ! In protesting against making Organic Chemistry a separate science, he must not be understood to underrate the importance of inquiries into the chemistry of organized bodies. His meaning is, that you might as well constitute a science of Animal Mechanics fiom the specification of all the mechanical phenomena observable in animals, as a science of Organic Chemistry from a specification of the chemical phenomena notice- able in organic bodies. Physiology is subordinate to Chemistry; the greater complexity of its phenomena embraces chemical laws, and some other laws peculiar to itself. That the physiologist could not create his science without the aid of Chemistry, lies in the very nature of Physiology; but the chemist can and does create Chemistry without the aid of the physiologist. Therefore positive philosophy insists upon a division of this said Organic Chemistry into two different parts; 1st. That which relates to Chemistry, properly so called. 2nd. That which relates to Physiology. Few minds familiar with the importance of Method will fail to appreciate the necessity of this division. The general principle upon which this division must be founded, Comte says, resides “ in the essential separa- tion of the condition of Death from that of Life, or, what comes to nearly the same thing, the stability and instability of the proposed combinations subject to the influence of ordinary agents. Among the various com-