New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-09

edge OF the external world. Within recent mem-
DRY John Stuart MILL taking almost the same
position OF Hume. endeavorcd to work out
complete logic OF induction as the process ny
which we conclude that what Is true OF cer'a'''
individuals of a class is true OF the whoie GIBBS
or that what is true at certain times VIII De true
in similar circumstances at all times But nc
LET in necessity. with It's universal major prem
ises and all the other paraphernalia OF od-fash-
toned deduction. by admitting that the course VI
nature Is uniform. For this reason Dr. Sigwart
is warranted in saying that every particular So
called Induction according to Mill was merely
syllogism in disguise. where single case iur'
nished proof as valid could be drawn from
the endless enumeration OF observed instances.
If Mills empirIcism could not escape from the
bonds of the deductive method. so much the less
can Darwinism with It's gigantic induction At
first sight indeed. the Darwinian theory seems
TO do away with all possibility OF the classified
ton which logic demands. 1.-THE unlimited COM
plexity OF the external conditions. affecting the
variation and maintenance OF particular indi-
viduas. makes 1t absolutely impossible to con-
struct ANYTHING like formulate. according to
which certain conditions would give rise to one
form and others to another, or by introducing
casual laws into the divisions to produce the
closed system OF concepts which is needed for an
exhaustive survey Of the whole" But Darwinism
has It's own solution Of the problem which II mas
raised a solution which lat first sight seems
Numerically opposed to its whole tendency. IL
points out that the very existence or the ihhu-
merabie forms OF life depends upon the utility 10
them of the variations to which they are SUD-
iected. 1t conceives them as engaged IN strug-
gle for survival as individuals and as groups ih
which they must adapt themselves to their con-
ditions or must disappear. 1t attributes 10 those
which become adapted to their environment
tendency against variation because to them Vari-
alton would be a disadvantage. Thus II consid-
ers the whole organic world from the point OF
view of the end to be attained and It gives prom
inence to those forms "among the chaos OF diff
ferences which are the most perfect when the
end is taken as the standard by which to meas
ure them" Thus the new basis of classification
which evolution offers Is that OF final cause. Just
the one which Bacon rejected as useless but
also just the best adapted to that presuppo-
sition of necessity which logic finds inevitable.
Darwinsm Is merely an episode In the eiaoo-
rate work which DR.. sigwart has here devoted
to the laws Of thought. But 1t Is. with reference
to the history Of logic most important episode.
Nothing could show more clearly than the pages
which the author has devoted to this theme the
changes OF attitude on the part of thinkers rel
alive to the great problems Of thought within
the last half century There is more conservatism
now than there was. Even Professor Bosanquet'
who is to some degree follower of Mill. betrays
the change that has come over the old empiri-
cism His book alongside Of DR.. Sigwarts makes
one think Of CULVER in company with the King
of Brobdingnag But his descriptive method Is
entertaining and his work Is almost indispen-
sable as a clue to the labyrinth which Sigwart
has constructed