Dynamic Thought; Or, The Law of Vibrant Energy

CHAPTER VII
THE PARADOX OF SCIENCE

IN the days of the ancients, when the philosophers found themselves unable to account for any particular class of phenomena, they bundled it together and referred it to a suppositious Something that they called "The Ether." Finding this an easy way to get rid of vexatious questions, they fell into the custom – and the habit grew upon them. Soon there were a dozen or more different kind of Ethers in vogue, each explaining something else – the "something else," by the way, being things that Science now feels that it understands pretty well. These Ethers grew to be like the various "Vapors" of the ancients – a dignified term for "We don't know" – a respectable road for retreat under the semblance of an advance.

These Ethers became a scientific scandal, and caused a lax mode of thinking among students of those times. And so they were finally abolished and relegated to the scrap pile of Science, where they lay for many centuries until a comparatively recent period, when at least one of them was hauled forth, dusted, freshened up a little, and placed upon its old pedestal. This revamped Ether, referred to, was the "Ether of Aristotle." Aristotle, as we know, was a famous Greek philosopher who lived about 350 b. c. – about 2250 years ago. He was a good man and a celebrated philosopher, but was somewhat deficient in scientific knowledge. Although he knew many things, and uttered many wise thoughts, he was under the impression that the breath of Man entered the heart instead of the lungs – that the back part of the skull was empty, and so on. He was without the advantages of a modern training – which, was not his fault, however.

Well, Aristotle conceived the idea of an Universal Ether, which he thought pervaded all space, and with which he accounted for the passage of light from the sun and stars; the movements of the planets, and various other physical phenomena. It is not known whether Aristotle really believed in this Ether, or whether he merely used it as a speculative hypothesis, following the Ether Habit of his contemporaries. At any rate, his theory served its purpose – lived, flourished, declined and died – at least seemed to be dead. But its corpse was resurrected in modern times, and used to account for divers things.

This does not mean that modern thinkers really "believe" in the Universal Ether – they merely assume it as a working hypothesis until something better is offered.

Its principal modern use is to account for the transmission of Light from the Sun and Stars to the Earth. It was held that a thing could not act "where it was not," and so it became necessary to account for the transmission either by the theory that small particles of substance were thrown off from the Sun, and travelled to the Earth, or else that there was some medium of communication by means of vibrations, etc. Newton held to the first theory, but his hypothesis went down before the Ether advocates, who advanced the "wave-theory," although it seems that, like Banquo's ghost, Newton's theory will not stay down, and is now taking on a new lease of life, owing to the discovery of the Corpuscle and Radiant Matter.

The Wave-theory philosophers asserted that the Light and Heat of the Sun were thrown off in the shape of Force or Energy, and transformed into "waves" in and of a hypothetical Ether (Aristotle's own), which waves were carried to the Earth, where, meeting Substance, they were again transformed into Heat and Light.

It was known that Light and Heat travelled at the rate of 184,000 miles per second, and therefore the "waves" of the Ether were considered to have that speed. The Wave-theory seemed to fit the facts of the case better than the Newtonian Theory of Corpuscles, although the latter has always been considered as better explaining certain phenomena than the new theory. And so the Ether Wave became generally accepted, and remains so to-day, although recent discoveries are causing a disturbance in the scientific camp regarding the question.

Later it was discovered that the Electricity travelled at the same rate as Light and Heat, and the Wave-of-the-Ether theory was thus thought to have additional verification, and Electricity came under the Law and remained there until the Electron discovery, which is causing much disturbance, among those interested in the study of Electricity.

Briefly stated, the theory of the Universal Ether is this:

That pervading all Space in the Universe – not only between planets, stars and suns, but also "filling in the cracks" between molecules, and atoms as well – there is a subtle Substance in and through which the waves of Light, Heat, Electricity and Magnetism travel at the rate of 184,000 miles per second. This Substance is said to be "Matter that is not Matter" – in fact, Science does not venture to say just what it is, although it freely states just what some of its properties must be, and, alas! these properties are most contradictory and opposite to each other, as we shall see as we proceed.

This Universal Ether is purely hypothetical. It has been called a "necessity of Science" – something assumed for the purpose of explaining or accounting for certain phenomena. It is undemonstrated and unproved – in fact, may truthfully be said to be undemonstrable and unprovable. Some have gone so far as to say that its claimed properties and qualities render it "unthinkable" as well. And yet, Science finds itself compelled to assume that the Ether, or "something like it" exists, or else cease speculating about it. It belongs to the realm of pure theory, and yet, many writers treat it as if it were a positively demonstrated and proven fact. Let us examine into the nature of Science's problem, and her attempted solution, and the trouble arising therefrom.

Light travels at the rate of 184,000 miles a second. Remember, that Light and Heat are that which we call by those names only when considered in connection with Substance. According to the theory, Light in the Sun's atmosphere is transformed into a Light-wave of the Ether on its travels to the earth, and only when the "wave" comes in contact with the Substance on the earth's body or atmosphere does it become again transformed into Light as we know it. In its travels through space it meets with no Substance, and has nothing to "turn into light" – consequently Space (between worlds) is in a state of absolute darkness. The same is true of Heat, and inter-world Space is absolutely cold, although passing through it are countless heat-waves of great intensity, which, later on, will be transformed into Heat when they reach the Substance, the earth. The same is true of Electricity and Magnetism.

Although the Ether, as we have seen, is a purely theoretical substance, yet Science has found it reasonable to conclude that it must be possessed of certain attributes in order to account for certain known facts. Thus, it is said to be frictionless, else the worlds, suns and planets could not pass freely through it, nor could the light and heat waves travel at such a tremendous rate. It also is thought to have something like Inertia, because Motion once started in it persists until stopped; because it is at a state of rest until Motion is imparted to it; and because it takes a fraction of time to impart motion to it. It is thought to be different from Substance in any of its known forms, for many reasons, among such being the fact that no known form of Substance could carry vibrations through space at the rate of 184,000 miles a second. And Light and Heat waves travel at that rate, and have forms and shapes, and lengths of their own. Light for instance, vibrates on two planes, and a light-wave is something like a Greek cross, thus (-|-), having a horizontal and a vertical line, or plane of vibration. And the Ether cannot be a fluid of any degree, because a fluid cannot transmit cross vibrations at all. And it cannot be a Solid, because a Solid could not stand vibrations at such a terrific speed, and still remain a Solid. And yet, to transmit the two-plane light waves, the Ether must have a certain degree of Rigidity, else the waves could not travel. Lord Kelvin estimated this degree of Rigidity as about 19,000,000,000th of the rigidity of the hardest steel. So, you see, Science is compelled to assume that the Ether is "a continuous, Frictionless medium, possessing both Inertia and Rigidity." Some scientists have thought it to be a kind of "elastic jelly."

Of the Ether, Prof. Oliver Lodge has said, "We have to try and realize the idea of a perfectly continuous, subtle, incompressible substance, pervading all Space, and penetrating between the molecules of ordinary Matter, which are imbedded in it, and connected to one another by its means. And we must regard it as the one universal medium by which all actions between bodies are carried on. This, then, is its function – to act as the transmitter of motion and energy."

To give you an idea of the wonderful thing that Science is compelled to think of the Ether as being, by reason of the qualities it is compelled to ascribe to it – although it confesses itself unable to "imagine" the nature of the "Thing" which it has created in bits by the adding and bestowing of qualities which were made necessary by the logical requirements of the case – let us take a hurried view of the Thing as the several departments of Science say it must be thought of.

To meet the requirements of the case, Science says that The Universal Ether must be Substance infinitely more rare and evanescent than the finest gas or vapor known to Science, even in its rarest condition. It must convey Heat in the manner of an infinitely Solid body – and yet it must not be a Solid. It must be transparent and invisible. It must be Frictionless, and yet Incompressible. It cannot be a Fluid. It cannot have Attraction for Substance, such as all Substance has. Nor can it have Weight – that is, it is not subject to Gravitation. It is beyond the reach of any known scientific instrument, even of the greatest power, and it refuses to register itself in any way, either to senses or instruments.

It cannot be known "of itself," but may only be recognized as existent by the "things" for which it acts as a medium or transmitting agent. It must convey Energy and Motion, yet it must not take up any part of either from the Matter in its midst. It must not absorb any of the Heat, Light or Electricity. It must fill up the spaces between the worlds, as well as the most minute space between the Molecules, Atoms and Corpuscles, or any other minute particle of Substance, either known by name to Science now or which may be discovered or imagined later as a necessity of some conception regarding the nature of Substance. In short, The Universal Ether, in order to do the things attributed to it, must be more solid than Solids; more Vapor-like and Gas-like than Vapor or Gas; more fluid than Fluids; infinitely less rigid than steel, and yet infinitely stronger than the strongest steel. It must be a substance having the qualities of a vacuum. It must be continuous and not composed of Particles, Atoms or Molecules. It must be an "everything" in some respects, and yet a "nothing" in others. It must not be Substance, and yet it must carry Substance within its ocean of dimensions, and, besides, interpenetrate the most minute space between the particles of Substance. It must not be Energy or Force, and yet Science has been considering Energy and Force as but "interruptions of rest" or "agitations" within, and of, itself.

So you see that this mysterious, wonderful Universal Ether – in order to "be" at all – must be a "Something" possessing certain qualities or properties of Substance – many of the properties of qualities being exactly contradictory and opposed to each other – and yet it cannot be Substance as we know it. It is a Paradoxical thing. It could only belong to another and an entirely different order of existence from that of Substance as we know it. It must possess characteristics and properties of an order as yet unknown to us by name – for which the material world contains no analogy – for which Substance has no analogues. It must be a far more complex thing than is even the most complex thing we call Matter, or that which we call Force or Energy. And yet, it has been claimed that it would explain both – yes, contain within itself the possibility of both.

And yet, in face of what has just been said, the writer must confess, humbly and with a full realization of the enormity of the offence, that he supposes advancing a theory, a little further on in this book that will attempt to identify this Something – this Universal Ether – with a Something else that we know, although not through the senses or by means of instruments. Bear with him kindly, he begs of you, while he proceeds gradually along the path that leads to the theory.

Scientists have compared Substance moving through the Ether as a coarse seive moving through water, the latter making room for the passage of the seive, and then closing up behind it. If this be amended by the idea that the moving seive, while allowing the water to pass through it freely, still carries along with it a thin film of water which clings to the wires of the seive by adhesion – if there be admitted this "clinging film" as well as the body of the water through which the seive moves – then the illustration answers quite well as a crude illustration of Substance and "The Ether." This fact is important in view of the theory that will be advanced, further on in this book. Prof. Lodge, in his interesting work, "Modern Views of Electricity," mentions a number of experiments tending to prove the above mentioned fact, which is not so generally known as other facts relating to the Ether.

Until the discovery of Radiant Matter (bringing with it the new theories of the Corpuscle or Electron, etc.), brushed aside into the dust heap many generally accepted scientific theories regarding the nature of Substance, the favorite and most popular theory was what was known as the "Vortex-ring" theory of the Atom. This theory held that the atoms of Substance were but vortex-rings of the Ether, having had motion communicated to them in some way, and which afterwards acquired other motions, and which finally become apparent to our senses as Substance. In other words, the Atom was supposed to be a vortex-ring of Ether, acted upon by Force, in some unknown way, the character, nature and properties of the Atom being determined by the shape and size of the vortex-ring; the rate of motion; etc., etc.

The new discoveries of Science, however, have set aside (at least temporarily) this "vortex-ring" theory, and at present Science seems to find its "latest thing in Substance," in the theory that Substance – at the last – seems to be the Corpuscle or Electron. In other words, after many years of fancied security in a settled theory regarding the nature of Substance, Science once more finds itself compelled to take up the search for the origin of things. But the theory of the Ether remains – and is likely to – although the names applied to it will change. By some it is still believed that in the Ether, a little further removed, rests the origin of Substance and that the Corpuscle may be the "vortex-ring" product, instead of the Atom.

It will be noticed that Science has made no serious attempt to connect the phenomenon of Gravitation or Attraction with the Ether. Gravitation stands alone – an "outsider" among the Forces, responding to none of their laws – needing no time in which to travel – needing no medium like the Ether in which to transmit "waves" – fearing no obstacle or interfering body, but passing right through the same – different, different, different. And we shall see why this difference, when we reach the point where our theory brings us to the point where we must substitute "something else" for that Great Paradoxical General Solvent of Modern Science – the Ether of Aristotle. We shall reach the point after a brief consideration of Motion, Force and Energy.

CHAPTER VIII
THE FORCES OF NATURE

THE Substance filling the Universe is in constant and unceasing Motion. Motion is evidenced in every physical and chemical process and change, and manifested in the constant interchange of position of the Particles of Substance.

There is absolutely no rest in Nature – everything is constantly changing – moving – and vibrating. Building-up processes are ever at work forming larger masses or bodies of the Particles – and tearing-down processes, disintegration and decomposition of Molecules and Atoms, and Corpuscles, are constantly at work also. Nature maintains a constant balance among her Forces. If the building-up energies and forces were allowed full sway, then all the Particles in the Universe ultimately would gravitate to a common centre, thus forming a compact and solid Mass, which would thus dwell for Eternity, unless the Creative Power should move upon it and again scatter its Particles in all directions. And, if the tearing-down, and dispersive forces and energies were allowed full sway, the Particles would fly apart and would remain asunder for Eternity, unless called together by some new Creative fiat.

But Nature pits one force against another, maintaining an equilibrium. The result is constant play and inter-play of forces, causing distribution, and redistribution of Particles, following the gathering-together and building-up processes.

There is no lost motion, or waste force. One form of force and motion is converted into another, and so on, and on. Nothing is lost – all force is conserved, as we shall see as we proceed.

In the public mind – or rather, in the mind of that part of the public which think of the matter at all – there seems to be an idea that "Force" is something of the nature of an entity, separate from Substance or Mind – something that pounces down upon Substance and drives it along by presence from without. The ancient philosophers regarded Substance as acted upon from without by an entity called Force, Substance being regarded as absolutely inert and "dead." This idea, which is still held by the average person, owing, doubtless, to the survival of old forms of expression, was generally held by philosophers until the time of Descartes and Newton. This old idea was due to the teachings of Aristotle – he of the Ether Theory – and Science and Philosophy were timid about shaking off the Aristotelian dogmas. Others held that Light, Heat and Electricity were "fluids" conveyed from body to body – in fact the general public still entertains this idea regarding Electricity, owing to the use of the term "the Electric fluid."

The present teaching of Science is that Force is the result of the motion of the Particles of Substance, and, of course, originates from within, rather than from without. It is true that Motion may be communicated to a body by means of another body in Motion imparting the same to it, but that does not alter the case, for the Original Motion came from the movement and vibration of the Particles of Substance, although it may have passed through many stages of transformation, change and transmission in its progress. The only exception to the rule is Gravitation, which is a form of Force, the nature of which is unknown to Science, although its laws of operation, etc., are understood. We shall learn some new facts about Gravitation in the forthcoming chapters of this book.

It will be well for us to remember this fact, in our consideration of Force and Motion – that Force and Motion originate from the inherent property of Motion passed by the Particles of Substance, and come from within, not from without. This is the best teaching of Modern Science, and also, forms an important part of the Theory of Dynamic Thought which is advanced in this book. Buchner, the author of "Force and Matter," vigorously insists upon this conception, saying, among many other similar expressions: "Force may be defined as a condition of activity or a motion of matter, or of the minutest particles of matter or a capacity thereof."

The term "Force" is generally defined in works on Physics as "That which causes, changes or terminates Motion." The word "Force" is generally used in the sense of "in action," while "Energy" is usually used in the sense of "Potential Force – capacity for performing work," the idea being that it is "stored-up" force, or "force awaiting use." The term "Power" is used in two senses, the first meaning "a measure of Mechanical Energy," such as a "forty horse-power engine," etc.; the second sense being "Capacity or Ability to Act, or exercise Force," this use being almost identical to the idea of "Energy," as above described, although, possibly, a little stronger expression.

The Materialistic school holds that Force is a property of Matter, the latter being regarded as the "real thing" of the Universe. Others hold that Force is the "real thing," and that what is called Matter, or Substance, is but a centre of Force, etc. Others hold that the two are but aspects of the same thing, calling the "thing" by the name "Matter-Force," or "Force-Matter." Haeckel calls this combined "thing" by the name of "Substance," claiming that what are called Matter and Force are but "attributes" of it, the third "attribute" being "Sensation," which he holds is akin to Mind – "Haeckel's Substance" is held to be Eternal, and Self-existent – its own Cause, in fact. (In this book the term "Substance" is not used in this sense, but merely as synonymous with what Science usually calls "Matter.")

The views advanced in this book differ materially from any of those above mentioned, it being held by the writer that "All Force is Vital-Mental Force," and, consequently, "Force" as a separate thing is considered an unreasonable proposition – what is called "Force" being considered merely an action of Mind upon Substance, causing Motion. The writer does not intend to advance this idea at this point beyond the mere mentioning of the fact – the theory being brought out and developed as we proceed – and he will proceed to a consideration of the phenomena of Force, along the lines of Modern Science, believing that in this way the subject may be better understood.

The term "Motion," as used in Physics, is defined as: "The act, process or state of changing place or position; movement" – (Webster). So you see, Motion is the movement of Substance changing place or position; Force is that which causes, changes or terminates Motion; and Energy is the "capacity" for manifesting Force; and Power the Ability to Act. In works on Physics you will notice the expression, "Potential Energy," meaning Energy awaiting action; also "Kinetic Energy," meaning Energy in Action; that is, in Motion. We shall not need these terms in this book, but it is well to understand them.

Another term frequently met with, is "Conservation of Energy," which is used to indicate that Law of Physics the operation of which renders Energy indestructible. That is, Science holds that Energy can not be destroyed – that it is not lost, or created, but is merely transformed into other forms of Energy, Potential or Kinetic. Therefore, after Energy is used, it either passes into a state of Potential Energy or Rest, awaiting a future call to Activity, or else is immediately transformed into another form of Kinetic Energy, or Energy in Action. The theory holds that the quantity or amount of Energy in the Universe is fixed in its totality – none may be created or destroyed – there can be no addition to, or subtraction from the Totality of Energy – that all Energy used has been previously stored up, or else has been immediately transmitted or transformed. It is also held that when Energy manifests as the result of work performed, it is always found that it is at the expense of some previously manifested form of Energy – that the agency by which the work is performed always parts with its stock of Energy, and that the thing worked upon always acquires or gains the amount of Energy lost by the aforesaid agent, or worker – and yet there is no actual loss or gain, but merely transformation.

The above theory is mentioned as of interest in the general subject, although it does not play a prominent part in the subject of this book, for the writer holds that all Energy resides in Mind, and emerges therefrom, and, in the end, returns thereto. This being believed, it is seen that Energy is not to be thought of as a separate thing having a "totality," but merely as a quality of Mind – the question of its totality or fixed quantity not being inquired into, although both, probably, run along the lines of the nature of Mind, and depend upon the limitations, or lack of limitations, of the latter. However, the question does not assume a vital importance in our consideration of the subject.

So far as the question of transmission, or transformation of Energy, is concerned, however, the principles of the Law of Conservation of Energy may be accepted as correct, although it more properly belongs to the principle of what has been called "The Corelation of Force," the idea of which is that one form of Energy may be, and is always, transformed into another form, and so on, and on, unto infinity. This idea is followed in this book, except that the idea of "From Mind originally, to Mind finally," is incorporated within it. This law of the "Corelation of Force" may be illustrated by the following quotation from Tyndall, the great scientist of the last century, who says:

"A river, in descending from an elevation of 7720 feet, generates an amount of heat competent to augment its own temperature 10 degrees F., and this amount of heat was abstracted from the sun, in order to lift the matter of the river to the elevation from which it falls. As long as the river continues on the heights, whether in the solid form as a glacier, or in the liquid form as a lake, the heat expended by the sun in lifting it has disappeared from the universe. It has been consumed in the act of lifting. But, at the moment that the river starts upon its downward course, and encounters the resistance of its bed, the heat expanded in its elevation begins to be restored. The mental eye, indeed, can follow the emission from its source through the ether, as vibratory motion, to the ocean, where it ceases to be vibration, and takes the potential form among the molecules of aqueous vapor; to the mountain-top, where the heat absorbed in vaporization is given out in condensation, while that expended by the sun in lifting the water to its present elevation is still unrestored. This we find paid back to the last unit by the friction along the river's bed; at the bottom of the cascade, where the plunge of the torrent is suddenly arrested; in the warmth of the machinery turned by the river; in the spark from the millstone; beneath the crusher of the miner; in the Alpine saw-mill; in the milk-churn of the chalet; in the supports of the cradle in which the mountaineer, by water-power, rocks his baby to sleep. All the forms of mechanical motion here indicated are simply the parcelling out of an amount of calorific motion derived originally from the sun; and, at each point at which the mechanical motion is destroyed or diminished, it is the sun's heat which is restored."

The following quotation, also, is interesting as illustrating another phase of this law:

"The work performed by men and other animals is due to the transformed energy of food. This food is of vegetable origin and owes its energy to the solar rays. The energy of men and animals is, therefore, the transformed energy of the sun. Excepting the energy of the tides, the sun's rays are the source of all the forms of energy practically available. It has been estimated that the heat received by the earth from the sun each year would melt a layer of ice over the entire globe a hundred feet in thickness. This represents energy equal to one horse-power for each fifty square feet of surface." – Anthony and Brackett.

From the above quotations, it will be seen that the principal and most familiar sources (or great storage batteries) of Energy, apparent to dwellers upon this planet, are (1) the Earth manifesting the Power of Gravitation; and (2) the Sun, manifesting solar heat. In Tyndall's illustration we see the force of the sun's Energy – heat – raising the water from the ocean, by evaporation (although aided by the earth's gravitation "pulling down" the heavier air, allowing the vapor to rise). Then we see the Force of Gravitation causes the condensed vapor to fall as rain or snow on the mountain-top – then causing the rain to run into little streams, and so on until the river is reached – then causing the river to start on its downward journey of over seven thousand feet – then causing it to plunge over the cascade; to turn the wheels that operated the machinery, and turned the millstone, and the crusher of the miner, and the saw-mill, and the milk-churn, and the cradle. And, as Tyndall might have added, had he lived a little later – in the running of the dynamo, which running, produced electricity, that in turn caused lights to burn; other machinery to run and manufacture things; stoves to cook; flat-irons to iron; automobiles and engines to run; and many other things along the lines of transmitting Energy, Force and Motion.

And in this consideration, let us not forget the important part that Gravitation – that most wonderful of all Forces – plays in the grand scheme of Nature. Not only does this Force cause the planets to circle around the sun, and, perhaps that sun around another sun, and so on, and on until the matter becomes unthinkable – not only this, but it performs a million parts in the affair of earthly Matter, as we shall see in a later chapter. The Force of Gravitation is one of the greatest mysteries confronting Science to-day, although many believe it a simple question. Gravitation and the Universal Ether contain the great secrets of Nature that Man is striving to unveil. And yet, so "common" is Gravitation that the race, including almost all the scientists, take it as a "matter of course." We shall devote much attention to the question of Gravitation in the forthcoming chapters of this book, for it plays a very important part in the general theory of Dynamic Thought, upon which this book is based. We shall have a special chapter devoted to it, a little later on, and the matter will also come up for explanation further on in the book.