Long, long ago a human being looked at the Earth with all its diversity of life and natural forces and thought, "Since I cannot control this, and know not how it works, there must be greater spirits at work. Yes, many spirits, one for each wonder."

Then, long ago, a human being looked at the Earth with all its diversity of life and natural wonders and thought, "How amazing the world is. There is truly a spirit at work. But the ancient infidels had it all wrong--this I see before me is a single great plan, wrought by one true spirit. And since I am the only creature who marvels at it, the spirit must be like myself, only far greater, for I cannot control it nor fathom how it works."

Then not as long ago a human being looked at the Earth... and examined it closer... and ground lenses and looked still closer... and discovered atoms and chemistry and electricity and laws of motion and laws of action and reaction that made sense of the things he saw, and he thought "I understand the rhythms of this world. I can predict how it will act, I know why two substances combine to form a third. There are no spirits at work here. See, but that I can cause the same effect as a thunderstorm."

Yet this last man still marveled at the Order of it all. He saw that it existed, that it followed the rules he discovered. But _where_ did it exist, and what _was_ existence?

That's the lingering question.
And which, do you suppose, will yield the Truth? Imagining spirits? Or looking at the Universe, and reasoning it out?

While you consider that, ask yourself this--if you hired a private detective to discover the murderer of your dearest love, would you want him out in the world digging up clues--or sitting in his office, dreaming up culprits?

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