“When to their laboratories scientists bring perception of spiritual phenomena exceeding any material manifestation known to man in strength and significance, then they may hope to discover and develop a force beside which all known forces are insignificant. Science is the ladder by which life may quickly ascend, but until science recognizes a spiritual force as the one essential force, of which all other forces are incidental phenomena, progress must be limited.”
“Then, generally speaking,” Mr. Kendal said, “perhaps the most effective appeal to scientists would be the appeal to scientific ambition.”
“Always the most effective means to win any man to anything is to appeal to his purpose. If it be personal, appeal to his vanity. If it be progressive, appeal to his eagerness. If it be intellectual, pique his curiosity. Scientists, like others, are divided in purpose.”
“We have been much interested in the decisive definiteness with which our friends on that plane have been able to classify the purposes of persons here,” Mr. Kendal mentioned. “Is this as clear to you as physical characteristics are to us, and as quickly determined?”
“Yes, and in much the same way. We see motive and intention and their variations as you see physical appearance, vitality and its variations. We see disintegrating moral factors more clearly than you see physical ills. We judge of purpose by its vitality and persistence under strain, precisely as you judge of physical health by its vitality under strain and by its persistence in spite of occasional disease.”
“Then you see disintegrating force as the scientist sees germs?” Cass inquired. “As disease?”
“No, we see them as foes. I speak here only of the way we judge purpose. There is no diseased purpose. There may be struggle between more or less intelligent forces, but in using the simile of physical health, I did it in a limited sense.”
“Is there an inherent reason for the different types of philosophies?” Mr. Kendal now questioned. “That is, the Nirvana-oblivion type in the Orient, as contrasted with the hell-fire-and-brimstone type in the Occident. If inherent, is its cause geographical, intellectual, biological, or what?”
“A little of all of them. Philosophies are the outgrowth of conditions, physical, moral and geographical—and therefore to some extent biological—to a much greater degree than is generally recognized. It has been said that food makes the man. To a greater degree, environment makes the philosopher.”