The Theory of Everything

42. All things we see here on Earth also pertain to phenomena, but it is not necessary to initially consider everything

The true nature of this visible world should show explain both:

• those things we observe from afar in the heavens
• those things we observe up close on Earth*

Yet, we do not need to know the exact causes of everything.

We will only find the common causes that will be correct when see that they apply both to:

• known phenomena
• unknown phenomena

43. It is hardly possible that the ultimate causes of all phenomena are not true.

We can arrive at the ultimate causes if:

• we use only the most evidently perceived principles
• we deduce from those principles only through mathematical consequences
• those things which we thus deduce accurately agree with all the phenomena of nature

If we suspected that these ultimate causes were false then it means that God had created us so imperfectly that we are deceived by the right use of our reason.

• This would be an injustice to God.

44. Those which I will present here to be considered only as hypotheses.

However, I might seem too arrogant if I affirm that I have discovered their true nature.

So I will call all that I will write henceforth as a hypothesis.

It might be considered false.

But I would have done a great service if they agree with experiments.

In this way, we will derive as much usefulness for life from it as from the knowledge of the truth itself.*

45. I will even assume here some things known to be false.

To better explain natural things, I will trace their causes deeper [beyond physical reality].

The world was created from the beginning with all its perfection, so that in it:

• both the Sun and Earth, and the Moon and stars existed
• on Earth:
  • the seeds of plants and the plants themselves
  • Adam and Eve were not born as infants but were created as adults.

Christian faith teaches us this. Natural reason also clearly persuades it.

Considering the immense power of God, we cannot think that He ever made anything that was not complete in all its parts.

Nevertheless, to understand the natures of plants or humans, it is much better to consider how they could gradually arise from seeds than how they were created by God at the beginning of the world.

We can devise very simple and easy to understand principles through which we can demonstrate how both the stars and the Earth, and finally everything in this visible world, could have arisen from certain seeds.

This is even if we know well they never did so arise, we will still better explain their nature than if we merely described them as they are now.

46. What I assume here explains all phenomena

All the bodies in the world are composed of one and the same matter.

It is divisible into any particles, and already divided into many.

These move in various ways and have some sort of circular motions, always maintaining the same quantity of motion in the universe.*

But reason alone cannot determine:

• how large these particles are
• how quickly they move
• what kind of circles they describe

This is because God could have arranged them in countless different ways.*

We are free to assume anything about them, provided all that follows from it agrees with experience.

Suppose that all the matter of this visible world was at the beginning divided by God into particles.

These particles are of nearly equal moderate size, as the median between all those particles that make up the heavens and stars

All of these particles:

• had as much motion in them as is now found in the world.
• were moved equally, both individually around their own centers, and separately from each other.

In this way, they composed the fluid body of the heavens.

Several particles together were moved around other points equally distant from each other as the centers of the fixed stars, and more numerous points that match the number of planets.

Thus, all those contained in the space AEINB would turn around point S.

Those contained in the space AEV around F, and so on for the others: thus forming as many different vortices as there are stars in the world.

47. The falsity of these assumptions does not prevent the truth of the conclusions derived from them.

These few assumptions can serve as causes to explain all the effects that appear in this world according to the laws of nature previously explained.

My principles are the simplest, easily-understandable, and most probable that can be devised.

Through the laws of Nature, it might be possible to deduce the current order of the universe from Chaos.*

But confusion seems inconsistent with the supreme perfection of God than proportion or order.

• Confusion can also be perceived less distinctly by us.

The proportion or order that consists of perfect equality is the simplest and easiest to understand.

Therefore, I suppose that:

• all the particles of matter were initially equal in both size and motion
• the only inequality in the universe are the positions of the fixed stars

With the help of the laws of Nature, matter successively assumes all forms it is capable of.

We can arrive at the form of this world if we consider those forms of matter in order.