New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-25
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A FRENCHMAN's SPECULATIoNS.

THE ~ SrdH Ibe French Of n Guyau Octave
pp. 54S Henry Holt & Co
rather brilliantly discursive work win serious
fallacies and both in It's merits ard defects pc
cularly French One Is tempted TO describe 1t IN
brief as an improved scheme Of positivism minus
The CONTAIN cult which, indeed NJ. Guyau re-
cards as puerie. The fallacy which vitiates the
work throughout is for epstemology TO expose II
is in short the assumption that the purely inter
lectual IL the real: in other words tha' IL j. Only
through the intellectual process when we can
thinking that we reach the gertrude OF op)ectNe
reality. This. however. ever since Kant 'rleu "
Invariably ends in sceptcism. and that lheNl'ap'''
There is, indeed. as has OF late been OFTEN SHOWN
no such thing in experience rs Rants purely '"'nh
ing consciousness separate from feeling ana Ti'''
II is only as feeling instinct with purpose animates
snd in,nels the Intellectual process that we be-
come certain OF a reality other than ourself as re-
sisting or Welding to and in various ways alec'-
ing US Thus Goethe declared, II IS never ny
reflection that can certainly know hifnsen OF,
we may add. anything else. but only by action ana
OF this while the intellect is also active In H. 'he
pr,ne motor ,s the living feelings. Thus St Paul
described to the Athenan philosophers the hnoihs
of God as the result Of feeling after Him
But God in NJ Guyau's view. is hardly moro
than a name. He will concede TO theism 10 more
than 1.-THE vaguest possible animation OF pini-
cinIe analogous TO the soul the mysterious origin
=, IN. world and IT'S development" Between this
tdealistc theism and atheism he remarks that 'he
distance may be diminished ad minimum ANA
vet he grants that the fundamental conception OF
philosophy is that OF life. But In his view lie II
deve,onment toward sensation and thought ana
eelfconscious life IS sti infrequent IN the great
xbols NJ things God. II there be God, Is IN
process Of evolution. But such theory there
can be no valid knowledge Of anything. our indi-
vidual experiences are not valid FOR truth except
as referabe TO a universal standard of authority
. tnA
except there be universal Mind, the father OIL
all individual minds So far. however Is Nj Guyau
0lrorn this that he repudiates the idea OF 'eeo-
heal eyolution-that Is, of design and mai cause
the universal process. as metaphysical ny
6thesls devoid Of scientific value-aH opinion IN
which considerable SCIENTISTS, AO'u Nei''''
for instance. do not concur.
Nevertheless NJ. Guyau insists that his non-re-
Ngion is by no means anti-religous. IL Is negative
only in discarding the myths and theories 'he
dogmas and rites. in which the historical relelohs
have consisted II is Affirmative in retaining what
"a nurely religious viz IAN admiration for the
cosmos and for the Infinite powers which are there
displayed; a search for an ideal, not only lhol-
vidual. but social and even cosmic' when sha'l
overpass the limits of actual reality. Religion 10
be sure. is as truly social as an Individual senu-
ment. Its faith in the communion Of saints as
expressed in the Apostles Greed includes with
those on earth those that have passed on into the
heavens With the single element OF Christianity
NJ Guyau is content for his dehnition or rehsloh
Man becomes truly religious only when
above the human society in which he lives he SUI
per:nposes . a cosmc society The sphere Of
socially mus. be enlarged till il reaches
to the stars" This Is admirable, so far. only his
atheis,lc scheme leaves this cosmic society with
out a bond OF unity, and his phosophc mons-n is
more nominal than real till the One Is found
whence the many proceed.
NJ Guyau's pages abound IN criticisms readable
enough. To Matthew Arnold. whom he seems to
consider as specially representative OF n transit
tional stage Of thought destined TO break all bonds
the past. he pays the tribute OF an extended re-
view. Liberal Christians seem to him 10 suppress
religion properly so-called. and TO substitute a
religious morality in IT'S stead" The remark Illus
trates the fallacy. running through the book. OF
making religion 10 consist in forms. rather than In
spirit NJ Guyau's criticisms least felcitous
In matters Of Christian belief. G. God. the
Father who piessly sacrifices His own Son. Is
anti-human and immoral" p 1l5). do as | bid
thee and not as myself do. Is the very spirit Of
Christian teachings Up. 2n) Religion consists
for the most part in a meditation upon death o.
07) IL is to be said in palliation. however, that
the writer's conceptions have been formed in
France where degenerate religion has furnished
material to his notebook Some passages are de-
cidedly Frenchy, 9. &. I'm our times Virtuous
unmarried woman H. so 10 speak, predestned to
devotion; divine love is for her Ton average, Of
course a necessary compensation o. l3D. Renan
seems 10 have again in his reference 20 Jesus
as the true God. descended upon earth in the
form OF blonde and smiling young man (p. l3D.
Congruously with this are told that faith Is a
rnalady from which all Of us wish be delivered
and cured ~. 19i).
NJ Guyau. however. stands in line with Christian
thinkers in declaring that "socialty IL the firm
foundation Of the religious sentiment" He is
right IN expecting true religion TO develop on
sociological lines. Or George Matheson. of Edin-
burch has pointed out that every form Of worship
implies a community OF nature In the worshipper
and his God And 1t is the staple teaching OF the
New Testament that the proper liturgy Of religion
II in deeds OF hcnevoence. But when the Chris
tan Apostle declares our fellowship is with the
Father ana with His Son. Jesus Christ" he adds
20 u Guyau's idea OF socality that reaches the
stars the fact essential to give II actually In at
tempting to detach the brotherhood of man from
It's rational basis in the Fatherhood Of God. NJ
Guyau has only rendered it undemOnstrable |
but human history goes to prove. has bereft ii
OF the only motive power adequate for its reaiza
ton.
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