Allan Kardec-THE Spirit's Book_ The Principles of Spiritist Doctrine (1989)

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THE SPIRITS’ BOOK
only matter of a more perfect and more subtle kind, and that may be considered as having an
independent existence of its own."
28. Since spirit itself is something, would it not be more correct and clearer to designate
these two general elements by the terms inert matter and intelligent matter ?
"Questions of words are of little importance for us. It is for you to formulate your definitions
in such a manner as to make yourselves intelligible to one another. Your disputes almost
always arise from the want of a common agreement in the use of the words you employ,
owing to the incompleteness of your language in regard to all that does not strike your
senses."
One fact, patent to all observers, dominates all our hypotheses. We see matter which is not intelligent: we
see the action of an intelligent principle independent of matter. The origin and connection of these two
things are unknown to us. Whether they have, or have not. a common source. and points of contact preordained
in the nature of things. whether intelligence has an independent existence of its own. or is only a
property or an effect, or even whether it is (as some assume it to be) an emanation of the Divinity, are
points about which we know nothing. Matter and intelligence appear to us to be distinct; and we
therefore speak of them as being two constituent elements of the universe. We see, above these, a higher
intelligence which governs all things, and is distinguished from them all by essential attributes peculiar to
itself; It is this Supreme Intelligence that we call God.
Properties of Matter
29. Is density an essential attribute of matter?
"Yes, of matter as understood by you, but not of matter considered as the universal fluid. The
ethereal and subtle matter which forms this fluid is imponderable for you, and yet it is none
the less the principle of your ponderable matter."
Density is a relative property. Beyond the sphere of attraction of the various globes of the universe, there
is no such thing as "weight," just as there Is neither "up" nor "down."
30. Is matter formed of one element or of several elements?
"Of one primitive element. The bodies which you regard as simple are not really elementary;
they are transformations of the primitive matter."
31. Whence come the different properties of matter?
"From the modifications undergone by the elementary molecules, as the result of their union
and of the action of certain conditions."
32. According to this view of the subject, savours, odours, colours, sounds, the poisonous or
salutary qualities of bodies, are