DIVISION XXXIV

PHILOSOPHICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

PHILOSOPHY

By HERBERT WALLACE SCHNEIDER

ASSISTANT EDITOR, "JOURNAL OF PHILOSOPHY," COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Scholasticism and Exposition.—troduction to Philosophy. These texts Whether or not virtue can be taught, are symptomatic of the dominantly philosophy must be. In this country pedagogical and scholastic approach especially, philosophy is today seldom to philosophy, but at the same time, engaged in out of love for wisdom; compared with former texts, they sig it is rather, as Cicero defined it, a nify considerable progress in the di studium, something taught in our rection of understanding and criticis schools. There are, of course numer- ing various philosophies. There is ous men of letters and even an occa- still the natural effect which every sional clergyman, who reveal a domi- genuine philosopher always gives of nant interest in wisdom and an in- introducing students to his own phitelligent pursuit of it, but these men losophy and of regarding all others do not profess to be philosophers, and as if precisely designed to culminate the professors of philosophy in turn in this one. And even where the au avoid all who are not members of the thor's philosophership is subordinated académic guilds. The professional to his professorship, and the pano philosophers, however, do not earn rama of philosophies is hence contheir living by pursuing philosophy, ceived more objectively, there is the but by teaching it. old tendency to regard them all as

Happily these two functions are parts of one dialectical whole, or at not entirely distinct. Scholasticism | least of a single "evolution of has in all ages encouraged systema- thought." Nevertheless these texts tized and consistent expositions of are not only less formal and academic philosophies, and the expounder may than their predecessors, but also more at the same time be an inquirer. But useful as academic introductions, in on the other hand, scholasticism has that they are calculated to stimulate always exerted a narrowing influence the interest and reflection of the stu in that it has encouraged systems, dent rather than to settle his mind labels, artificial terminologies, and once and for all. protracted logomachies. American Logic. The introductory Logic professors of philosophy appear to be gradually freeing themselves of chis tradition, but the process is naturally slow, for academic walls are very thick.

courses in most of our colleges have also borne their annual fruit: Profes sors H. E. Cunningham, D. S. Robinson and M. T. McClure have written elementary texts for college courses in New Texts. This year has wit- logic. The last named of these makes nessed an unusual number of texts a significant departure in the direc designed to "introduce" students to tion of emphasizing the process of philosophy. Professors G. T. W. Pat-thinking and its guidance in place rick, G. Watts Cunningham, G. P. of the more traditional emphasis on Conger, James H. Regan and C. W. the laws and structure of proof and Brightman have each written an In- argument.

self an important institution, which may be expected to offer the needed encouragement and opportunity for the very finest type of scholarship, and the first volume, John Dewey's Experience and Nature, is therefore doubly significant.

Growth in Research.-Among the gether with a bibliography has been current evidences that our university edited by Professor Smart and Prophilosophy departments are devoting fessor Hammond, and published unthemselves more explicitly to research der the title, Studies in Speculative and less to the composing of courses Philosophy. and texts, should be mentioned the Carus Foundation.-Probably the work of the Philosophical Union of most significant philosophical event the University of California. It has of the year was the publication of not only engaged in a number of co- the first lectures on the Paul Carus operative inquiries into fundamental Foundation. This foundation is in itproblems, but has secured the assistance of eminent scholars from other universities, and the results have been published in a series of volumes. Volume VII, published this year, is entitled, Studies in the Problem of Norms, University of California Publications in Philosophy, Volume 7, Dewey. This book represents the and contains lectures by Professors broadest and most searching expresAdams, Lengen, Prall, Pepper, Parker, sion which Professor Dewey has yet Loewenberg, and Montague. Present given to his "critical radical empiriand former members of the Depart-cism." It is definitely an attempt to dement of Philosophy of Columbia Uni-velop his analysis of experience, which versity, have published Volume II of has traditionally had an idealistic their Studies in the History of Ideas, background, upon a naturalistic basis, in which are published a number of and it employs the results of anthrosignificant researches from the his-pological and historical sciences, torical point of view.

Kant Anniversary. The years 1924 and 1925 have been the occasion of celebrating the two-hundredth anniversary of Kant. A large meeting was held for this purpose at Boston, April, 1924, and the results published. The meetings of the Philosophical Association, and the various journals have brought out a large number of "Kant Studien." Number Two of this year's Monist is devoted entirely to Kant.

rather than of traditional psychology and epistemology in distinguishing the various phases and types of human experience and the effects of their variations upon such fundamental concepts as nature, means and ends, purpose, value, art and science. It is especially thorough-going in its attempt to prove that the eulogistic implications of the concepts of universals and the super-empirical have traditionally linked them with ends, Creighton. The deaths of Profes- whereas empirically they are means, sors Fullerton and Creighton mark the ends being particular and indithe passing of two of the most dis-vidual. Hitherto Professor Dewey tinguished of the philosophers of the had emphasized the implications of older generation. Professor Creighton this thesis for the problem of knowlwas one of the greatest leaders of edge; here he emphasizes its implica-, philosophical thought in this country tions for the more catholic problems and very influential as one of the and fundamental categories of philofounders of the Philosophical Asso-sophic thought. ciation, and of the Philosophical Re- Santayana.-Two other important view. It was therefore only fitting philosophies have received classic exthat considerable attention should be pressions during the year. Santaypaid to him during the year. The ana's Dialogues in Limbo, though they Eastern Division of the Philosophical are in substance merely a further exAssociation held a memorial meeting position of the philosophy outlined and the Western Division took this in Scepticism and Animal Faith, are occasion to devote its session in April an unusually beautiful composition, to the philosophies of Bradley, Bosan- even compared with Santayana's other quet and Creighton. A collection of writings, and are unusually rich in Creighton's philosophical studies to-historical criticism, imagination and

practical wisdom. The ironical treat-tem of processes to the things or ment given to scepticism in the for- events that stimulate them, and to mer volume, yields in this one to a poetic treatment of "animal faith," here termed "normal madness."

the further bodily processes which they evoke." But in the positive prob lem of analysing these "relations" and "processes" there is still a bewildering variety of opinion. The discussion about perception carried on in the Journal of Philosophy by Profes sors C. A. Strong and W. P. Montague should also be mentioned in this connection.

Whitehead. Professor Whitehead, who is at least temporarily a member of the American fraternity of philosophers, has given to his own and in general to the contemporary British variety of realism a new and dignified expression in his Science and the Modern World. In this volume he Behaviourism. - The discussion of attempts to show the effects of the behaviourism has continued, but atvarieties of scientific method not only tention has been directed not so much on philosophy but on the larger to the problems of psychological meth reaches of the imagination, and he odology as to the implications of be attempts to predict the revolutionary haviourism for such concepts as purconsequences for thought and imagi-pose and mechanism. The Symposium nation which are implied in the recent on "Time" at the December meeting of developments of mathematical anal- the Eastern Division of the Ameri ysis.

can Philosophical Association is further evidence of the growth of interest in a fresh analysis of funda mental categories.

Value. The discussions on Value, and particularly Professor Dewey's articles on Value in the Philosophical Review, and the Journal of Philosophy, represent the "tag end," presumably of a protracted discussion and of an even more protracted preoccupation with the problem of value.

Psychologic. This year has been particularly fertile in producing typical and comprehensive analyses of mind. Professor E. A. Singer's Mind as Behaviour, is an original reconstruction of idealism on a behaviouristic basis, which is significant not merely for it suggestiveness as a fresh analysis of mind, but for its indications of a new direction which "empirical" idealism seems to be taking, and which makes an interesting foil to the "speculative" idealism of In the field of ethical theory the Creighton. Both Creighton and most important contributions have Singer realized the futilities of the been: M. C. Otto, Things and Ideals; old psychology, but Creighton turned Warner Fite, Moral Philosophy (folto the old Logic, whereas Singer turns lowing up the analysis of self-conto the new psychology. G, W. Cun-sciousness started in his Individual ningham's Five Lectures on the Mind, ism, 1911); Norman Wilde, The Ethi from the point of view of a modifica cal Basis of the State; and W. K. idealism, W. P. Montague's The Ways Wright, The Moral Standards of Deof Knowing, from the point of view mocracy. Professor Eaton of Harof a "neo-realist," and Durant Drake's vard has made an important and Mind and Its Place in Nature, from original adventure into the new dethe point of view of a "critical real-velopments of logic by his Symbolism ist," form an impressive Symposium. and Truth. Professor Smart's The There seems to be a general desire on Philosophical Presuppositions of all hands to avoid the dualistic posi- Mathematical Logic, is interesting as tion, and probably all these authors an evaluation of the newer symbolic would agree with Professor Drake, logic by a representative of the idealwhen he says: "The differentiation of istic logic. the mental does not lie in its substance; mental states or events, are made of just the common substance of all things. The differentiation of the mental lies in the concrete relations which link this coördinated sys

Select References. The International Library of Philosophy, Psy chology and Scientific Method, which is being published by Harcourt, Brace and Company, and which represents a notable advance in philosophical lit

erature in this country, is to be con- | Growth of the Modern Mind; and A. gratulated, if for no other reason, for Wolf, The Philosophy of Nietzsche. the new edition of F. A. Lange's The The most important philosophical History of Materialism. After it, the periodicals published during the year most important new editions are H. are: The Philosophical Review, The M. Kallen's volume of selections from Journal of Philosophy, The Monist, the writings of William James, with and The International Journal of an excellent Introduction (Modern Li- Ethics.

ments.

brary Series), and Ralph Barton In 1924 the Pacific Division of the Perry's new edition of Weber's Phi- American Philosophical Association losophy of History, with additional was organized and held its first meetchapters of his own on recent developing at the University of California. Professor H. W. Stuart was elected Among the historical studies pub- President. The 1925 meeting was lished this year, the most important held at Stanford University, Novemare the following: George Boas, ber 27 and 28. The 1924 meeting of French Philosophies of the Romantic the Eastern Division was held at Period; E. A. Burtt, The Metaphysi- Swarthmore College, and was presided cal Foundations of Modern Science; over by Alexander Meiklejohn. The W. C. Stace, The Philosophy of Hegel; 1925 meeting was held at Smith ColC. W. Hendel, Studies in the Philoso-lege, Professor Wilbur M: Urban, bephy of Hume; J. H. Randall, Jr., The ing president.

PSYCHOLOGY

BY HERBERT SIDNEY LANGFELD

DIRECTOR, PSYCHOLOGICAL LABORATORY, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

tion papers in memory of G. Stanley
Hall were read by W. H. Burnham
"The Man, G. Stanley Hall" (Psych.
Rev., March, 1925), and by E. D.
Starbuck "G. Stanley Hall as a Psy-
chologist” (Ibid.).

General. There have been several encouraging signs of progress in experimental psychology this past year. An Institute of Psychology devoted to research has been started at Yale University. This Institute is in addition to the Psychological Labora- Theoretical. The Gestalt theory tory. R. M. Yerkes, R. Dodge and or as it is commonly translated, the C. Wissler, together with H. C. "Configuration" theory, has received Bingham, constitute the staff. Dodge prominence in America through the is conducting experiments on eye visit of Wolfgang Köhler, director of movements and on physiological the Psychological Laboratory of the changes. Yerkes is working on the University of Berlin, and Kurt primates, and Wissler is engaged in Koffka of the University of Giessen. anthropological investigation. The Köhler's book, The Mentality of first independent psychological lab- Apes" (Harcourt, Brace, 1925), and oratory in the western hemisphere, Koffka's The Growth of the Mind planned exclusively for teaching and (Ibid.) have recently been transresearch, has been erected at Prince-lated from the German. The theory, ton University. At its inauguration which they have been describing in in April, E. B. Titchener gave an numerous lectures throughout the address entitled Experimental Psy- country, states that we perceive obchology; A Retrospect (Am. Jour. jects, relations, and situations and Psych., July, 1925). At Clark Uni- then proceed to analyze them, and versity the G. Stanley Hall Profes- that these perceptions are something sorship in Genetic Psychology has more than the mere summation of been established, and W. S. Hunter their parts or elements. A number has been appointed the first incum- of psychologists in America, inbent. At the December meeting of spired by these authors, have recently the American Psychological Associa-written articles upon this theory.

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