The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-23
DR. HARRIS PHILOSOPHY
Debate Before the Philosoph.
ical Union at Berke-
ley.
An Exposition Of the Deve cpment of
Mind and the Nature
Of God.

BERKELEY, CAL, Dec. 22.-Dr. Will
liam T. Harris, Professor Howison, DR..
George NJ. Stratton and E. B. McGilvray
discussed the nature OF the divine person
atty in Stiles Hall tonight before the
Philo sophIcal Union. The object of the
gathering, Professor Howison declared,
was to arrive at an understanding as to
the different positions held by DR.. Harris
and those who differed with him, and
the professor at once proceeded to a state
ment of the difficulties in question. The
lower auditorium of Stiles Hall was well
filled with an audience composed princi-
pally of mem bers of the faculty of the uni
versity and of the Philosophical Union.
PHILOSOPHY undertakes to explain
reasonably the world of being" said Pro-
lessor Howison. "Some philosophers say
that it is impossible to do this. but make
an attempt at the task. The first princi-
pie is generally in some sense a theism.
When the absolute intelligence is re-
garded as a benevolent being, it is a
Christian theism.
''Dr. Harris philosophy is theistic and
Christian. We agree here entirely. We
shall ask him to explain why, if the abso-
lutte being is independent and complete,
there should be any creation at all? DR..
Harris, more than a philosopher, deals
with this question. DR.. Harris accepts
the Christian insight INTO God and crea-
ton, but in meditation upon the gospels
there has grown up vast dogma called
the doctrine of the Trinity. In reorganiz-
ing this doctrine philosophy cannot be
bound by the mere letter of any symbol.
The doctrine of the Trinity is essential to
an explanation of the nature of God, but
II 1t be extended to any one person, to one
man, Jesus of Nazareth, then philosophy
has nothing to say, il would not know
how to recognize that"
Professor Howison then framed for DIR.
Harris question, asking how, by reason
ing, the human mind can get beyond the
limit imposed by its own inity.
DR.. Harris gave a mprehensive reply,
repeating much of his argument for the
existence Of personal GOO that was given
on last Friday evening. He revie wed the
development OF true being" from inert
matter to man, describing the first as men
potential or partial being. "Other beings
seem to be whole, as plant, which grows
by its own activity" he said. 1.-The ami
mai has still greater development of real
life and man rises to consciousness of
his own activity, but still remains an in
complete and dependent be ing. If we
conceive this chain of dependent beings it
becomes logical necessity to affirm the
existence OF an lnue peuQeuC or absolute
being on which it rests"
Here DR.. Harris proceeded to discuss
the nature of God. He showed how man
might get beyond himself by the faculty
of idealizing, and closed with an exposition
of the doctrine of the Trinity. He de-
clared Aristotle's de Animus" to be
"the most wonderful book of philosophy
ever written
DR.. Harris address was followed by
questions by E. B. McGilVay, assistant to
Professor Howison, and DR.. George NJ.
Stratton, instructor in psychology at the
university. A general discussion upon
the points OF the evenings speeches fol-
lowed.
Richardson Dead.
BERKELEY, CAL, Dec. %. The report
from Greece OF the death at Athens OF Pro-
lessor George M. Richardson OF Berkeley
has been confirmed, and the professor 8
friends have given up all hope that the
news will prove to be erroneous. Pro-
lessor Richardson had held the associate
professorship OF archaeology at the uni
versity for seven years, and was one of
the most popular members of the faculty.
His relatives reside in Boston, from
" ich citV came the nous oe HE dar,;eo