40

68

even take it on probation, simply because the
idea was pleasing to me. Without judging
others, I should feel, for my own part, that
that would be a crime against the integrity
of the reason that God has lent to me. But
if I had the choice between two hypotheses, the
one more ideal and the other more materialistic,
I should prefer to take the ideal
one upon probation, simply because ideas
are fruitful of consequences, while mere
sensations are not so; so that the
idealistic hypothesis would be the more verifiable,
that is to say, would predict more, and could be
put the more thoroughly to the test.