from The Riddle of the Universe, by Ernst Haeckel. Translayed by Joseph McCabe. The Thinker's Library, No. 3, Watts & Co., London, 1929:
from The Riddle of the Universe, by Ernst Haeckel. Translayed
by Joseph McCabe. The Thinker's Library, No. 3, Watts & Co.,
London, 1929:
"The study of ether, or inponderable matter, pertains
principally to physics. The existence of an extremely attentuated
medium, filling the whole of space outside of ponderable matter,
was known and applied to the elucidation of various phenomena
(especially light) a long time ago; but it was not until the second
half of the nineteenth century that we became more closely acquainted
with this remarkable substance, in connection with our astonishing
empirical discoveries in the province of electricity, with their
experiemental detection, their theorectical interpretation, and
their practical application. The path was opened in particular
by the famous researches of Heinrich Hertz, of Bonn, in 1888..."
"...Although, however, the existence of ether is now regarded
as a positive fact by nearly all physicists, and although many
effects of this remarkable substance are familiar to us through
an extensive experience, especially in the way of optical experiments,
yet we are still far from being clear and confident as to its
real character. The views of the most eminent physicists, who
have made a special study of it, are extremely divergent; they
frequently contradict each other on the most important points.
One is, therefore, free to choose among the contradictory hypothesis
according to one's knowledge and judgement. I will put in the
following eight theses the view which has approved itself to me
after mature reflection on the subject, though I am no expert
in the department.
I. -- Ether fills the whole of space, in so far as it is not occupied
by ponderable matter, as a continuous substance; it fully occupies
the space between the atoms of ponderable matter.
II. -- Ether has probably no chemical quality, and it is not composed
of atoms. If it be supposed that it consists of minute homogeneous
atoms (for instance, indivisble etheric particles of a uniform
size), it must be further supposed that there is something else
between these atoms, either "empty space" or a third,
completetly unknown medium, a purely hypothetical "inter-ether";
the question as to the nature of this brings us back to the original
difficulty, and so on in infinitum.
III. -- As the idea of an empty space and an action at a distance
is scarecely possible in the present condition of our knowledge
(at least, it does not help to a clear monistic view), I postulate
for ether a special structure which is not atomistic, like that
of ponderable matter, and which may provisionally be called (without
further determination) etheric or dynamic structure.
IV. -- The consistency of ether is also peculiar, on our hypothesis,
and different from that of ponderable matter. It is neither gaseous,
as some conceive, nor solid, as others suppose; the best idea
of it can be formed by comparison with an extremely attenuated,
elastic, and light jelly.
V. -- Ether may be called imponderable matter in the sense that
we have no means of determining its weight experimentally. If
it really has weight, as is very probable, it must be so slight
as to be far below the capacity of our most delicate balance.
Some physicists have attempted to determie its weight by the energy
of the light-waves, and have discovered that it is some fifteen
trillion times lighter than atmospheric air; on that hypothesis
a sphere of ether of the size of our earth would weigh at least
two hundred and fifty pounds (?).
VI. -- The etheric consistency may probably (in accordance with
the pyknotic theory) pass into the gaseous state under certain
conditions by progressive condensation, just as a gas may be converted
into a fluid, and ultimately into a solid, by lowering its temperature.
VII. -- Consequently, these three conditions of matter may be
arranged (and it is a point of great importance in our monistic
cosmogony) in a genetic, continuous order. We may distinguish
five stages in it: (1) the etheric, (2) the gaseous, (3) the fluid,
(4) the viscous (in the living protoplasm), and (5) the solid
state.
VIII. -- Ether is boundless and immeasurable, like the space it
occupies. It is in eternal motion; and this specific movement
of ether (it is immaterial whether we conceive it as vibration,
strain, condensation, etc.), in reciprocal action with mass-movement
(or gravitation), is the ultimate cause of all phenomena."
p. 186
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