34

Logic II 34

ceived by any living being, then its mode of being (supposing
that it was not altogether dead) would consist precisely
in this, the namely, that it was about to receive
embodiment (or ensoulment) and to work in the world.
This would be a mere potential being, a being in futuro;
but it would not be the utter nothingness which would
befall matter (or spirit) if it were to be deprived of the
governance of ideas, and this were to have no regularity
in its action, so that for throughout no fraction of a second could it
steadily act in any general way. For matter would thus
not only not actually exist; but it would not have even
a potential existence; since potentiality is an affair of
ideas. It would be just downright Nothing.

It so happens that I myself believe in the eternal life of the
ideas Truth and Right. I need not, however, insist upon that
for my present purpose, and have only spoken of them in
order to make my meaning clear. What I do insist upon