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

tions which are certain and universally valid.
There "a q limit to this certain and universal
validity, and that is the limit OF human nature
itself. Logic. even by the most minute argument.
cannot bridge the chasm between world and
mind between external and internal between OBJ
jectve and subjective.
But It can place all thinking men In the posi-
ton where they can understand why they must
necessarily think alike, whether the external op-
iect of thought be a real world or merely an ap-
pearance The difficulty which logic as an art
has to meet Is that while the Ideal OF perfect
thought is the same for all mankind, the capac-
fly for working toward this ideal diners among
individuals by infinite graduation. One man
reaches objective certainty at point wnere an
other looks upon an investigation as merely De-
gun. 1t Is absolutely certain In such case that
the former is incapable of thought In any sig
nifcant sense. But this defect may be due SIM
ply to his ignorance Of the function which ne is
endeavoring to exercise. In the training OF such
a person Dr. Sigwart would adopt methods not
dissimilar from those Of the old logic. He Is as
faithful to the syllogism as the most extreme
Journalist. But ne does not care for those refine-
ments that violate the rules Of language without
carrying a new meaning. In fact. he hardly goes
far enough in his study of logical moods and fig
ures. Judging by the exploits of some adherents
Of the new logic with whom he has to deal.
1t might be thought that the algebraic method
Of reasoning using literal symbols for subject
and predicate would enable an expert to see MS
own errors. But 1t Goes not. The author himself
has to castigate ressoner who premises that II
is A. is v, and then infers that whenever \
is V. must be a. That is one might say II inc
wind is east it rains, and then argue If it rains
ha a
beyond the range of the first hypothesis. unless
Il &c shown that II never rains except when the
wind is in the east In this case the letters used
nv the loyician whom Dr. Sgwart criticises ana
nv DIR Sigwart himself have been changed mere
bccause Greek signs are inconvenent. But the
locical scheme is the same. and 1t shows with
any symbols that may be used how easily an
error can be detected with the syllogistic formu-
las But the fatal error in reasoning is apt 10
no found not in the inference but in the judy
ments with which all reasoning starts. The de-
feet is here not Of form. In that respect all
judgments are alike, whether they he valid or IN
valid Subjects. copula and predicate are as well
defined in the proposition THE moon is green
cheese as in THE moon is the earths satelhte'
and the function by which they are produced Is
the same. But the form having been attained
the Judgment embodies for inspection truth or
error certainty or doubt, and only an analysis
Of the process by which judgments are formed
can enable one to decide upon their truth or
falsity In addition to this the elements OF Judg-
ment must be fully determined. that is, fixed in
concepts and the act of judgment must follow
upon the examination Of its data in such way
as 10 be necessary or unavoidable.
From these two points Of view, the analytical
and the normative. 1t is possible to learn the
nature of ideally perfect thought But to attain
this knowledge is not the same thing as to think
with ideal perfection. The consideration must
also enter how to arrive at perfection with the
means which nature offers, subject to the limita-
lions Of humanity and this consideration in
wolves the means Of obtaining correct concep-
tons and trustworthy hypothesis as prelimi-
nary to the forming Of judgments and infer
ences This remarks the author, lis the do
main of the art In its narrower sense. of the
properly technical instruction to which the two
preceding parts form a necessary preliminary
The most important place in this technical in
struction is taken by the theory OF induction as
the doctrine of the method by which concepts
and general propositions may be obtained from
particular perceptions