New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-02
ERRORS DISCOUNTED BY TIME

Schopenbauer's atheism was closely associated
with his passionate denial Of design in the uni
verse. 1t was impossible for a man VINO con-
sidered mind as the product OF life. OF when
unconscious will was the cause. TO see NINA Ill
nature Rut here again the common sense or
mankind will make the error harmless. The
DIXIE of Argyrs massive treatise on THE Phil
osopby Of Belief shows how impossible 1t IL
TO pierce the armor Of popular metaphysics
that is the thinking of ordinary educated man.
kind at this point His Grace assumes the
identity of mental impressions with the facts
of the external world describing the one as
photograph of the other Language does the
rest II IL impossible as he shows to describe
what happens in the world conscious or I'M
conscious animate or inanimats without using
words that involve causality and design. There
must then be a rational mind at work in
nature Those who deny this are still unable
TO find words that express their professed opin-
ion Darwin who did not pretend to avoid pur-
nosive words. though he refused to grant de-
sign in nature: Cuvier and Spencer, who both
tried TO omit words expressive Of design and
Lucretius who apparently never thought OF
evading such expressions are all reviewed in
detail They are convicted out Of their own
mouths once the doctrine Is established or
rational mind working in the universe. the au-
thor goes on to develop the arguments of He
brew and Christian theology. The DOCK IS
Citing close to the elaborate studies which be-
gan with that widely read work. 1.-THE Reign or
Law" 1t appeals rresistibly to the great ma
ioritv of mankind and ii evinces the fact that
no disbelief ike Schopenhauer's can really ar
feet ordinary thinking. But Schopenhauer
could say rightly that the question Is left just
where II was before.
As Schopenhauer's philosophy originated IN
times Of misery and establishment. so it Is GER
tain to he resorted to by increasing numbers OF
rner whenever similar conditions recur. 1t az
NOT a system for the schools. It's uniform APP
neal not from the lower to the higher in nature
and in man. but from the higher to the lower
from the conscious individual to the unconscious
universal. make 1t a bugbear OF the academy
while attracting men in the world VINO see now
much mere will does in themselves and In others
v.,tbout even the cogniZance of reason Pro-
fessor Caldwell obserN es the effectiveness Oh
Schopenhauer's appeal to those who arrogate
70 themselves the title of practical men III one
wishes TO see how unfit this philosophy OF UNI
rest and pain is for the quiet walks Oh d UNI
versty. let 1t be contrasted with the nea' per-
lection of a system like that OF l. II. rreeh'
as set forth by Mr.. Farbrother There ~ an
tai hooutv I'm the assertion of the divine IN
man. and in studies upon the manner in wpich
This divine manhood can he realized; put IN
the confusion and disappointment, the nope
lessness and cruelty of actual lie, the man
wolf of Schopenhauers pages sometimes seems
nearer the reality A. time passes the pit,er
ness will be lessened by the knowledge that
Schopenhauer was only partially aware OF tne
meaning Of his own words. Professor Cald-
,'erTs hook is largely devoted to showing where
schopenhauer was wrong. and his conclusion is
the natural one. that the philosopher ol WIN anu
~ fotlo,r.re pot hold of fact greater than
they could reckon with. He accepts the prin-
cipe that the solution Of life does not lie IN
the intellect. but in the Will ana .hem MA aus
The individual and the moral effort OF the race
to transform it's whole environment into an
tao.l,, nerfect thing"