 We should contrast Fechner’s attitude toward religion and science with the materialists of his day (Feuerbach, Vogt, Büchner, Moleschott). It was a major advantage of his philosophy, Fechner claimed, that it could reconcile science with religion. The materialists saw this as no advantage at all; they insisted that modern science was moving in the direction of materialism, which made it necessary to reject all the religious dogmas of the past. Fechner was well aware of the threat of materialism and did his best to counter it. His constant appeal to science was an attempt to meet the materialists on their own ground. 