New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-15
MODERN PHILOSOPHY
A BIOGRAPHICAL AND SYNOPTICAL HISTORY.

A
A HISTORY OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY. From the
Renaissance to the Present. BY b. c. Burt A.. NJ
Two volumes. PIP. XII, 1868; viii. 32l. ~ 1. Nc
Clurg d Co.
The accidental necessity of examining with more
or less care n number OF current systems or
philosophy has made it convenient TO compare
Mr.. Burt's synoptical abstracts with original
works. The test resulted very creditably for
his book Sometimes the analysis is dry enough.
The author himself would hardly claim for it
q romantic interest. But wherever the test was
applied his method was found commercially ac-
curate. lie divides the course Of modern philoso-
ply since the revival of learning into three
periods. The first period began, as general lit
erature began, with reconstruction OF the
antique. This was followed. under the infiu-
ence Of the Reformation, and particularly that
Of MelanchthOn, by the effort to bring philoso-
ply into harmony with religion. This was the
beginning of Rationalism. for there was in it
from the first conscious effort to harmonize
individual thought with the traditions of Chris
tianity. without impairing liberty on the one
hand or the authority OF Revelation on the
other Then came the effort TO cultivate philoso-
ply for its own sake-an appeal TO nature, mixed
up In such men as Cardan and Paracelsus, with
the mystical Quackery of the past. but eager
that proved useful in later scientific movements
These divisions of the first period have on
broad lines continued down to the present day. ard
are seen in the frequent efforts Of the more cru
dte thinkers TO rchabtatc ancient systems. IN
the attempts OF those interested in theology, with
varying success, to explain religion from the
point of view of reason, and in the almost pure
sensuaism of the leaders in natural science anu
the rare adherents of Positivism.
The second period begins with Bacon, and its
leading problem is that of the method of philo-
eophical inquiry and reflection, and the sources
Of knowledge How to get at the ultimate
facts, whether by experiment or intuition or
reason. was all along the point in disputc-a point
that could never be settled unless review and
criticism werc possible from the point Of view
Of consciousness. One thing out pretty
clearly in this period. and this was that the
methods of the empircist, the intutionlst and the
nationalist might easily characterize the think
ing of any given man: that, in fact. II was
llificult to separate them from each other;
and, besides, that the same man might be
realist and an idealst. without any contradiction
In the third period Mr. Burt divides the philoso-
piers more distinctly national lines though
not without the risk Of leading his readers into
error Hardly any man of thought can be
named whose works do not show important traces
Of foreign influence. But accurate division on
any other lines would be equally difficult ana
might be not less misleading The Scotch
French and German systems considered In their
general result down to the time OF kant, were
devoted to correcting the results of the sensa-
tional sceptcism which Hume had drawn logic
ally from the system of Locke. 1t was plain
that if Hume-rgI7t from his point of view as far
as he went-had formulated complete doctrine.
then metaphysics, as COmte subsequently de-
clared was useless. Practically, however, Hume
remained master of the field until Kant showed
that neither the method of dogmatio assertion
and of implicit confidence in HUMAN .eason.
nor that of doubt and distrust OF human rea-
SON. neither the method of Leibmtz and WOLF
on one hand, nor the method of Hume on the
other, proved its own assertions or disproved
those opposed to it, Philosophy is criticism and
only criticism After this criticism has done Its
work it will show whether metaphysics he pos
kible or not Rants argument has forever de-
stroyed the domination of Hnme's scepticism and
its rehabilitation in COrstc. Mill or Spencer has
only shown is inherent failure 10 command the
convictions of men. But Kant left one thing
upcn which sensationalsm could seize. his
"thing-in-itsef" From practical point of view
this does not signify; it is as unreal as natural
triangle But in thought it must be disposed of.
and the confession may be freely made that later
philosophers do not seem TO have succeeded IN
getting past it, lieeels solution of the difficulty
is verbal rather than demonstrative. and his
verbaism seems to have afflicted his disciples.
A problem is not solved simply by being cx-
pressed in a new form. TO the Unknowable the
greatest of the modern scientific philosophers
clings with the tenacity of drowning man Per
haps the real solution of the problem. the UNI
movable substratum in the individual and the
universe, can only be found by carrying on
Rants critical method and for doing this rightly
one cannot think of better rule than that OF
Rossini: :" If philosophy is to be restored TO love
and respect I think il will be necessary In part
10 return to the teachings Of the ancents and in
part TO give those teachings the benefit Of mod
ern methods" In that case the history OF phioso-
phy ought to be reviewed with the utmost care,
80 that every system which has really added
nothing to the sum of human thought may he re-
lentIessly thrown aside. 1t may be that then the
really valuable systems left will be found TO stand
in closer relations than they seemed to when
viewed as separated by long intervals of time.
In philosophy the human race dozes much of the
time Only now and then, when a great thinker
or group OF thinkers cmerges is there a forward
movement.