General Cosmology

Since in experimental Cosmology we draw out from observations those things which were demonstrated in the scientific branch (§. 4), experimental Cosmology presupposes scientific Cosmology. However, to the extent that it is not contradictory for observations or observed phenomena to be used when teaching the scientific branch (§. 3, 4), experimental Cosmology can, to some degree, be cultivated before the scientific branch and be joined with it.

Indeed, it does not seem impossible for us to derive the entire theory of general Cosmology a posteriori meaning: "from what comes after," or knowledge derived from experience and observation. from observations; however, we are taught by the very facts themselves that this cannot be done conveniently. There is more than one reason for this. First, there is a lack of attention to observations; without this focus, it is impossible to notice what lies hidden within them until it is established what exactly ought to be sought. Therefore, when we have learned a priori meaning: "from what comes before," or knowledge derived from theoretical reasoning rather than experience. what ought to be investigated in things, our attention is fixed upon those details which we would otherwise not perceive. To those who are experienced in astronomical matters and experimental physics, I speak of things well-known to them—though there is no discipline from which we cannot produce examples of truths we have discovered in this way.

Additionally, not all things are of such a nature that they can be deduced from observations without presupposing others. For when a priori Cosmology has not yet deduced those things which are determined by other factors, it is not always clear—due to a lack of principles—what ought to be inferred from what is observed. Again, I speak of things well-known to those who have devoted effort to extracting truths from observations. Nor should it be neglected that when you wish to extract truths from observations while lacking principles (which are supplied only by disciplines cultivated through the scientific method), you fall only into hypotheses Wolff views hypotheses as useful but inferior to certain, demonstrated knowledge.. Furthermore, it is only through a long and arduous journey by way of hypotheses that one eventually reaches the truth of those things which could have been extracted through reasoning without such roundabout paths. Therefore, the best interests of science are served if scientific disciplines are joined with experimental ones and, where possible, the former are placed first. This is the rationale for our current undertaking.

From those things which are handed down in general Cosmology, both the existence of God and the notions of His attributes can be gathered by a demonstrative method. For in general Cosmology, those things that are said universally about "being" original: "ente"; a central concept in Wolff's Ontology referring to anything that can exist. are applied to the world, as well as those things which [concern] being in com-