MALICIOUS PHILOSOPHIES
49
factorily explored and understood only when inquiry into them
is conducted on the basis of a logic specific to "spiritual" subject–
matter.
But the following brief remarks will be sufficient to blunt
whatever force the argument from the alleged facts of emergence
may be supposed. to have. It is indeed not possible to
deduce
the properties of water (for example, its transparency or its ability
to quench thirst) from those of hydrogen and oxygen,
if
the f.ormer
properties do not enter into the premisses from which the deduc–
tion is- attempted. For in general, no statement containing the
term "P" can be deduced from a class of statements unless the
latter also contain that term. In one sense, therefore, the main
contention of emergent evolution is simply a logical truism. In
the second place, although the occurrence of certain traits may
be left unexplained by
~me
theory, a different theory (perhaps a
revised form of the first one) may supply a satisfactory explana–
tion. .For example, the theories of physics which were accepted
at the beginning of the 19th century were unable to account for
any chemical facts, although present-day physics is in the position
to explain the occurrence of many chemical reactions. Accord–
ingly, whether a quality is to be regarded as an "emergent" or
not is relative to a specific theory, and is not an
inherent
fact
about that quality. It also follows that since no theory of science
can be regarded as necessarily final, traits which at one time are
taken to fall into the province of one specialized discipline, may
at some later date be explained on the basis of theories developed
in a different branch of science. This has certainly been the his–
tory of such sciences as chemistry, biology, and even psychology,
in their relation to physics. And finally, if the doctrine of emer–
gence is seen in this light, no clear reasons remain why the logic
of experimental inquiry-as conducted in the natural sciences–
has no authority over investigations into human affairs. Indeed,
as the natural sciences have become more comprehensive they
have provided an enriched understanding of human traits. No
theoretical limits can be set to such a progressively widening
scope of the sciences of nature. And what is no less to the point,
these fresh achievements have involved no surrender, on the part
of the natural sciences, of the procedural principles under whose
guidance they obtained their historical successes.
