Atheism forbids both, while the simply non-theist abstains in conformity with the prohibition of the atheist and thus practically sides with him.

Moreover, since man cannot imagine that of which he has no experience in any way whatever, and since he has experience only of _human_ perfections and of the powers and properties of _inferior_ existences; if he be required to deny human perfections and to abstain from making use of such conceptions, he is thereby necessarily reduced to others of an inferior order.

Mr.H.Spencer says,[253] "Those who espouse this {248} alternative position, make the erroneous assumption that the choice is between personality and something lower than personality; whereas the choice is rather between personality and something higher.

Is it not just possible that there is a mode of being as much transcending intelligence and will, as these transcend mechanical motion ?" "It is true we are totally unable to conceive any such higher mode of being.

But this is not a reason for questioning its existence; it is rather the reverse." "May we not therefore rightly refrain from assigning to the 'ultimate cause' any attributes whatever, on the ground that such attributes, derived as they must be from our own natures, are not elevations but degradations ?" The way however to arrive at the object aimed at (_i.e_.to obtain the best attainable conception of the First Cause) is not to refrain from _the only conceptions possible to us_, but to seek the very highest of these, and then declare their utter inadequacy; and this is precisely the course which has been pursued by theologians.