PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 269, 6 August 1908, Page 5

PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

ARE ELECTRONS CONSCIOUS? A mooting of tho Wellington Philosophical Society was held at the Museum last night, Professor Kirk occupying tho chair. Thoro was a fair attendance. Tho first lecturo was delivered by Mr. J. TV. Poyuton, on "Inbreeding j liavo its evil effects boon exaggerated?" In upholding the affirmative, tho lecturer handled his subject in a most able and lucid manner. Mr. Poynton showed'that all fitness and perfection wore tho result of inbreeding, tho fewer individuals for tho purposo tho better and stronger tho progeny. Ho also showed how characteristics of individuals grow according to tho natural surroundings and the necessities of life. .. . ■ Tho lecturo was sharply discussed, and then Professor M. W. .Richmond gave an interesting address on "A Metaphysical Suggestion." He commenced.- by outlining the constitution of atoms and' thoir subdivisions, electrons. ■ The electron, ho explained, was not an entity or being so much as a condition or stato. Tho professor also roferred to ponderable matter and luminiferous ether. It was long found necessary to postulate the cxistonco of the latter to explain the phenomena of heat and light, and the connection between ponderable matter and ether had forced itself on physicists and mathematicians. .The most modern view of the connection .was-that tho electron was really a point or little region in the other to which the neighbouring elements were in some kind of relation.- Tho electron, ho added, was permanent; .■it " had never _ been known to go out of existence -ordissipate. If tho electron moved, its motion dofimto and not. at random. Tho ether, ho understood, was stationary, : although they might vibrate from their centre.. Tho basis to his metaphysical, suggestion was that the whole material world, so-called, and its phenomena were reduced to elements of ether.' The question, arose as to. what other actually was. Consciousness or mind could be appreciated, and'tho only answer to the question to convey a meaning was to say that tho .element of ether was. a seat of consciousness. V/his hypothesis was a form of monism, and, in tho speaker's view, thoro was only ono kind of being, mind or conscious being. Many philosophers felt that they understood, to somo.extent, what mind was by their experience, .and that they must treat ■ inner nature of 'matter as . unknown or unknowable. It seemed reasonable to suppose that each elo* ment was ■to some extent' a • conscious being with an idea of the existence and state of.its neighbours, communicating with and influencing them.. He really suggested that the material world, which consists of elements of ether; is nothing more or less than a multitude of conscious beings or spirits. He was aware that this would seem wild, but he assured his hearers that it was not so, really, '(Applause.) 1 . . Discussion on tho subject was adjourned till next'meeting. At-that meeting, Mr. T. TV. Kirk'. Government' Biologist, will speak on fruit flies. Mr. Stuckey will possibly deal with anemones, and timo will be devoted to a paper' on tho Auckland Islands expedition.