New-York tribune., 1879-01-14

"Phlosophy in the United Statcs,' hy G..
Stanley Hall apparently an American writer, presents
an unpromsiug OF tie progress Of philosophical
speculation I'm this country ani will doubtless call for
protest from those who attach sufficient Importance TO
his statements Mr. Hall afiirms that in most o. the
on-Catbrc colleges 10 the United States the insruc
tion IN philosophy rUdneutary md medieval and if
not III tue of 8 rel glOus sect of strcUy evan
gelca character There not hIf dozen colleges in
the country, according to his sweeping assertions In
which slca thought il entirely free fom refer
ence theological formulas, Many teachers OF phOsO-
ply have no training in this department except what
they have obtained theological scminaries The pupils
are familiar with the points OF difference in the
theology OF Parks and HODGES (sic) tnan with Plato,
Leihnitz or Kant. The mode Of instruction seeks
10 "iuocu'ate the mind with insidious orjhodox.cs
which often close II forever 10 sIecu-
lave interests" The great opeu questions Of meta.
physics are made 10 dwinGlc in comparison WIKI
matters o. fatn and COuOuC Some OF the professor
lings in philosophy" disciples of the disciples OF
Hopkins, Hckog, Wayan3 Upham, and Haven. Most
OF them have DIPPED into Reid, Stewart, ami Hamilton
many have smattcrinC Of John Stuart NIL, and Her
bert Spencer and have even read lectures Of Huxley
and Tyndau. and epItomeS Of Kant, Bcrkclcy, and
Hume a few have studied CcmpcnGous histories Of
philosophy Ike those Of ScLwcSer and Ucbcrwcg and
othcrr, perhaps, have printed essays Oh Lc'bnz and
Plato IN religious periodicals. Many OF them feel 10
need Of larger intellectual atmosphere. They have
2
Ecuptura data. An exception is made IN
favor OF ". J.. Canning (SiG, ThCotorc Parker,
X. w. Emerson, and the considerable body Of
Unitarian writer's whose influence has been VhOl
IN stimulating and nbcrazing speculation, e-pecioy IN
Harvard College. The st. Louis school OF HcgcliauS
Represented by the journal OfSptcu,dye Philosophy
also forms cIcei tiOn TO the prevailing poverty and
barieuness oi philosophical instruction Tie appear
aucc Of such jou.n&l IN the great centre or stern
trade j., explained by the written from the prominence
Of illustration Of the powers Of the human
n,iud over nature. IN spite Of the maputude Of
American professors Of philosophy for the accomplish
Inent Of then work fOr perhaps II may be said IN
consequence Of ~, Mr. stanley Hall admits that
the theories Of Herbert Spencer, g. II. Lewes.
and other English cyoluuOnists have cxcItcd an im-
rense influence i'm the United states, but chiefly among
SCI nc men, aud not especially Interested IN tie his
tory Of speculation The influence OF German modes Of
thought ia. United states is represented as great,
and probably increasing Scores Of American students
are found IN nearly an the larger German universities
Most Of even the smaller colleges have one or two pro-
fessor who have speEt several years in study IN that
country whose very language i philosophical dsci-
pline. There less doubt of the correctness Of this
statement than OF OF the writer's other assertions,
put IT seems scarcely consistent with bis pictures Of he
intellectual peuury and staryellng resources Of the
"AmerlCau prOfetsor.ings"