New-York tribune., 1873-06-17
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
YouMASss POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. June

devoted 70 the influence OF the theological bias IN the
Interpretation OF social facts This is exhibited In the
oopular views concerning those who cherish religious
beiefs thar differ from own Tue Feee lslanueT Ior
instance who thinks that to devour human victim IN
the name Of one OF his cannba gods, is mertorous
act condemns his Samoan neghbor who makes no sacr
aces TO these cannibal gods, but is just and KIND
10 his fellows as destitute OF religion Constituting the
facts IN this way the Feeean form no rational con-
ception Of society. With vices and virtues IN
terchanged conformity with bis creed the benefits OF
certain social arrangements must seem evils and the eN
benefits As rule every system Of dogmatio theology
with the sentiments that gather round IT, s an impeuF
ment tho way Of social science The sympathes dd"H
out toward one creed and the anupathes aroused ny
other creeds dstOrt the interpretations of all the ao
cated facts The OF conduct is found in its aeeou
With the demands of religion, rather tuau ia i "
trinSic character conducting to human Wellae' INC %
Ologcal bias thus brings errors into the pIc'''1DH
estimates OF societies and institutions ee0talI'N az
tipathies, growing out Of differences OF uOculno' us
able the members OF each religious community rom
fairly Judging other religious cOlnmunues' "uo
impossible for zeaot to conceive that ms own
system may have but a relative truth and relative
value The idea it part OF the social Oruer III
which it is found repugnant conception. lie con
sders the dogmatic theology which he holds as equaS
good for all times and fOr every place He forgets that
people can moro suddenly receive
higher form OF religion, than IL can suddenly
receive higher form Of government III
other words his special theological bias blinds HIM to an
important class Of sociological truths But II the tneO
logical bias closes the mind 10 the perception OF uth
the theological bias in the view Of MI Spencer, is
Just as bad Not only the action of religious dogmas
but the reaction against them exercises disturbing IN
huence on the Judgment The abandonment OF an old
belief is accompanied by antagOnsm that is violent
IN proportion the previous depth OF submission Inc
Puritans made an offensive display Of this feeling
when they stabbed their horses in cathedrals'
and treated sacred places and symbols with
intentional insult So did the French revo-
luonst when they pulled down sacrstes and altars,
drank brandy chalices eat mackerel of panas,
tore the massbooks into cartridge papers, and held
drunken revels in churches. In day, the breaking
Of less rigid bonds is followed by less violent strug
giles Yet the rejection OF the old form implies the
exchange Of the previous sympathy with more or
lees antIpathy. The perversion Of Judgment caused
by the autipathy takes the place Of that caused by
the sympathy. What before reverenced as
wholly true is now scorned as wholly false. what
was regarded invaluable is now cast OIL as
OF no value at all. Men thus think only Of what
is erroneous the rejected creed, and take no note OF
the truth for which stands They overlook its bene
fits while they contemplate its mischiefs, and think
that nothing but good would result from It's general
abandonment. They mistaken. as Mr.. Spencer
judges IN supPOsng that adequate guidance could be
had in place Of the antQuated rule No moral code, he
believes could become sufficiently operative In the lack
of common sense which in the daily routine Of
life The average intelligence which is incapable OF
guiding conduct the simplest matters must In
eyaby fail IN apprehendlng the natural sanctions OF
ethical principles Some OF the petty mssres OF human
life arising the uuthuklng iueputude OF the mass
ofmeu are humOrOusly set out by Mr.. Spencer in one
ortwO familiar examples.
Take a days experience, and observe the lack of
thought Indicated from hour hour You rise in the
Ss and %G c te bas sAG beep S grescrbed for
you but after the drst few drops nave been counted
the lip Is shaped without regard TO the require
Yet millions Of such phials ore annually made
.assmakors out 10y thousands Of druggists:
small being the amount OF sense brought 10 bear on
Now, turning TO the looking glass, you ind
Of the best make, II fails TO preserve the at
titude IN which you put 1t; OF, what IS called " box
looking glass you THAI the maintenance OF It's po-
stiOn is insured by ali expensive appliance that would
have been superluous had little reason been used
OF the glass came in the line Joining the points Of
support (Which would be quite easy an adjustmeno,
the glass would remain steady IN whatever attitude
you gave IT, Yet year after year tens OF
10 ~ simple need Presently you 90 down to break
fas ana taking some Harvey or other sauce with your
tish fud the bottle has q defect like that which you
found IA the pAla; II Is sucky from the drops WhiGh
trickle down aud occasionally stain the taDe-ciOth
Here other groups Of traders similarly economical
OF thought that they 90 nothing tO recy TINS obvious
Inconvenience. Having breakfasted you take up the
paper and, before sitting down. wish TO put some coal
tue hre. But the lump you seize with the tOngs
slips out Of them. aud, If large, you make several
arienu before Won succeed in hftng ita because the
ends Of the tODgs smooth Makers and Yenders OF
meeting TINS evil by the simple remedy giving these
smooth ends protecting points or even Toughenlng
them by few ours with chisel. Having at
length Tasped the lump and put II on the IRE YOU begin
read out before have got through the first col
umn you are reminded by the changes OF position when
your sensations prompt that men st IAN 70 MAKE easy
chars. And yet the guiding principle Is simple enough
just that advantage secured by using soft seat II place
hard oDethe advantage, namely OF spreading over
larger the OF the weight TO De borne ana
go making the pressure less intense at one poins
advantage 10 be sought in the form Of the chair
Ease be gained by making the shapes ana relative
chnauOns or seat and back such as will evenly dstrlb
the weight OF the trunk aud limbs over the widest
possible supporting surface and with tue least Sranlng
Oi the parts out OF thef hau al attuues Anu yet ouy
now after these thousands OF years OF clYZauOu are
there being reached and that not nationally but emp
callyl approximations TO tue structure required
The same want Of faculty is found in all branches Of
practical lie. If you wish mechanic to do something
for you that is less new, explanation will
prevent him from blunderng. Without any expression
Of surprise he will reply that he not brought up TO
It. and will bersy no shame in confessiDg that he
not DO a thing he not taught 10 do. The great i'm
provemenis in manufactures generally made by
outsiders, showing how stupidly the usual routine is
carried on Mercantile also in the old
ruts which they have moved for We submit 70
M Spencer that whatever truth these last features
nis description may have in England, the reverse
Of It nearer she truth in this country stu
hs assertion win not be denied that IL seems though
most made It their get through life with the
least possible expenditure Of thought" utiitariaD
system Of ethics accordingly cannot be correctly car
red present, by the select few and alto
gether beyond the mental reach Of the many "The
value Of the inherited and heolOgcaly code
that formuates, with approach 70 correctness,
the accumulated results Of past human experience. II
has not risen nationally but empiricay. During all
past times mankind have eventually gone right after
trying ali possible ways Of going wrong The wrong
gonss have been habtualy checked by disaster, aud
pain and death and the rightgoings have been con-
nnued because not thus checked. There has been
,ofb Of eefs corresponding 10 these good and evil