Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 93

Chap.

BETWEEN SUBJECT AND OBJECT

I]

Meanwhile the object

is

this organic relation

not enough.

G9

between our nature and

If the object is to be the object

must in the second place be an organic between this object and our consciousiiess. Though the elements of all known stars may not have been determined adequately, the heavenly bodies constitute objects of science, as far at least as they radiate light, exhibit certain form, and are computable with reference to their distance and motion. Even if, at some later date, similar data are discovered in or upon stars which thus far have not been observed, as long as these observations have not been taken they do not count for of our science, there

relation

However

our consciousness.

close the organic relation

may

be between ourselves and the animal world, the inner nature of animals remains a

mystery to us, as long as the organic between their inner nature and our human consciousness remains a secret, and therefore cannot operate. We see a spider weave its web, and there is nothing in the spider or in the web that does not stand in numberless ways organically related to our own being, and yet our science cannot penetrate what goes on in the spider during the spinning of the web, simply because our consciousness lacks

relation

its inner nature. Even in the we form of our fellow-men, we face insoluble riddles, because we only penetrate those j)arts of their inner nature the analogies of which are present in our own consciousness, but we are not able to see through that particular part of their nature which is solely their own and

every organic relation to opinions which

which therefore excludes every organic relation with our consciousness.

By

saying that our consciousness stands in

the desired organic relation to the object of our science,

simply affirm that

man

we

have an apprehension, a perception, and an impression of the existence and of the method of existence of the object. In itself it makes no difference whether this entering in of the object into our consciousness is the result of an action that goes out from the object, under which we remain passive, or of our active observation. Perception and observation are simply impossible when all orsfanic relation is wantinsf between any it is

possible for

to

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