Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 201

Chaj-. Ill]

§

-,o,

THE TROCESS OF SCIENCE

177

— this

which the parousia will bring to an end, or end will never come. Hence /ormaZ recognition only is possible from either antithesis

The

grateful acceptance

which

nition, but fields.

our

side.

those results of investigation lie outside of the point in question, is no recog-

So

human

ure and

is

far,

of

merely a reaping of harvests from common on the other hand, as the antithesis between

personality, as

it

manifests itself in sinful nat-

changed by palingenesis, governs the investigation and demonstration, we stand exclusively opposed to one another, and one must call falsehood what the other calls truth. Formally, one can concede, as we do without reservation, that from the view-point of the opponent, the scientific impulse could not lead to any other prosecution of science, even with the most honest intention; so that, though his results must be rejected, his formal labor and the honesty of his intention must claim our appreciation. That this appreciation is mostly withheld from us, is chiefly explained from the fact that, from the view-point of palingenesis, one can readily imagine himself at the viewpoint of unregenerated nature, while he who considers fallen nature normal, cannot even conceive the possibility of a palingenesis. For which reason, every scientific effort that goes out from the principle of palingenesis is either explained as fanatis

icism or

is attributed to motives of ambition and selfishness. Hence the urgent necessity to combat the false representation that that science which lives from the principle of palingenesis lacks all organic process, and consists merely in the schematic application of dogmas to the several prob-

lems that present themselves.

This representation

nistic to the very conception of science,

by experience. vail

Very marked

and

differences

is

of

is

antago-

contradicted insight pre-

among

the scholars of the science which operates from the principle of palingenesis, as well as among the others,

and many institutions and schools form themselves. There is, therefore, no organic, multiform process of science among naturalists and a schematic, barren monotony with the men of palingenesis

;

but the calling of science to strive after an

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen