New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-31
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
cvRNAN PHILOSOPHY FOR ENGLISH READ
Frs

This is an eNltmoll luAcAoSNihS NNN"'
NOT simply an exposition of Kant 1t Is besides
,thout protesting to be such. an introduction
70 the study Of the fundamental problems whose
solution is everywhere 80 earnestly sought III
scientific. religious and philoSophic speculation
II forms the first of series of "GeIman fhuo
sophie Classics for English Readers and stnueh'S'
TO be edited by Dr. Morris second voiuuo -
the series, on Seedlings Transcenden'ai luo"i
ISM" by Professor John Watson of kir gs'on' oal-
taro. has Just appeared Other Volumes "V ."
preparation: "Kant's Ethics" ny President ror'ei
"Kant's Critique Of Judgment by Iroles'or ~ No."
ert Adamson of Manchester, EnIlanu,
"Logic " by Dr.Wiam T. Harris heselS -lS'H0'
les bv Professor j. T. Kidney. Each volume Oh
tha sorios will SAWS the editor, abe devoted to
Che critical exposition of some one masterpiece oe-
longing 70 the history of German phlosophy'
Tho aim in each case will be to furnish clear
md attractive statement Of the special 81 distance
and purport Of the original authors argument
TO interpret and elucdatc tho same by reference 10
the historic and acknowledged results oil phlIo
sophie inquiry. to give an Independent estimate VI
merits aud deficiencies, and especially 10 snow
rs occasion may require, in what way German
thought contains the natural complement or Iuo
much-needed corrective of British speculation
To carry through or even to plan and begin
such an undertaking in the face OF prevalent
opinions in our busy land concerning the interest
aud valuo of strictly philosophical specnatiohs IN
general and German philosophical speculatlons Ill
pafticular is no slight matter; and we may be
snre from the importance and difficulty OF the
undertaking. as well as from the names of those
who have il il hand, that it is backed by firm and
intelligent conviction as to some of the present
needs Of the country. What those needs are
MAY be inferred from the fact that the American
mind is apt to be too much preOccupied either with
what il delights TO cali "practical interc >" or
with theoretical interests that concerned rather
in Observing classifying, and explaining the seen
than in pToclaiming and making known the unseen
Experience that which furnishes us knowledge, is,
we are inclined to assume, only OF what is bounded
b. time and space Our every day intercourse with
things, men. books and affairs, and our systematic
observation classification and explanation OF
these. we call experience" ordinary experience,
and " scientific experience" But we hardly dare
imagine that philosophy has anything to do with
experience for we suppose il to deal with " the
unseen" We do indeed. speak of religions ex-
perirnce, but we generally mean by it "a state
OF heart" which is either chiefly OF practical or
moral Significance or if of theoretical value, is but
symbol CT the eternal, else is above, if not IN
compatible WITH the knowledge that philosophy
processes to furnish. The gulf between the seen
and the unseen We imagine to be impossible. But
may it not be that experience which we suppose to
be only of the seen" in some way mites the seen
and unseen? And may il not be that this union
becomes for every one who chooses to look an object
or not merely of hope or OF faith but of clear Wis
ionf Philosophy answers, " 1t not only may but
must be So Try to comprehend ordinary expe-
Renee and scientific experience on the oac hand,
and on the other religious experience and you
brought face to face with experience that is not
exclusively either of the seen or of the unseen.'
This is one of the historic and acknowledged re-
suits of philosophic inquiry" Philosophic inquiry
Tor philosophy does hot spider like. SO to say,
spin experience she seeks it and lays hold on 1t,
absolute experience. and Is child of such expe-
ronce. The growth Of philosophy belongs to The
growth of experience; the history of philosophy is
the history of one form OF experience. And the
proper study OF that history has Significance cor
responding to the absolute character of the expe-
riencc with which it deals.
Now an intelligent answer to The question,
What is experience !" and " What is the signii-
canoe Of phosophic inquiry. that is to say, philo
sophie experience, in the abstract and in its his
toryP" constitutes the most important result of
German phosophic inquiry from its beginning in
Kant TO its elimination in Hegel. The transcen-
dental Importance of this result it may require ages
fully to appreciate. It's most obvious value for the
present consists take it. in the fact that it will
diminish the prevalence and force of that partial
view of experience which underhes the form of
thought now most conspicuous in British specula-
zion. Those who thus regard the immediate value
of German speculation Tor the present age are. we
may be sure far from surprising that there is any
"conaict" between science and philosophy,
between philosophy and religion, or consequently,
between science and religion. They would rather
maintain that essentially and historically science
and philosophy have a common origin an origin,
nan ely IN what Aristotle, more than two thou
sand years ago. called essential characteristic of
man. the desire to know. They wOuld maintain
that when natural science laid at our feet her choic
est and rpest fruit phllOsophc science has to show
that the growing and the gathering of that fruit Is
throughout the work of spirit; or, let us say. the
life that constitutes the fruit and the life that
and enjoys It are essentially one life the life of
spirit In showing this. philosophy is not capri
oious not arbitrary but one with herself she is
in this regard absolutely scientific, nay, she insists
upon a perfect unity than science is prepared
TO insist upon: she insists that the activity that
creates science is organically with the activity
that creates that OF which there is science
There is indeed difference between science and
philosophy but conflict, and by reason of that
difference philosophy is, of the two. the more scien
title Science, therefore. points distinctly toward
philosophy Again there is no conflict between
philosophy and religion, for what religion as heart
and will afhrms be the true nature OF the
that philosophy as pure science, as the demonstra-
ton of the unity of the whole experience, shows to
be the true bond Of union. the true source and
PLANTATION of the seen. Through philosophy, relig
ION is made perfect for religion becomes the love it
would b. only in the light of tie Intelligence that
philosophy is perfect love and perfect intelligence
are inseparable.
The "conhict between science and religion IL.
then. not conflict il which one side must be vic
,or;ors over tho other but il Is q dual spritual