The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-09

Spencer of Helmholtz and Darwin. The
school Of philosophy will be wide open
to all serious thought, as indeed the m m
bers of the department today represent
the most various opinions and conVic-
tions. This ought never to be changed:
it is the life condition of true philosophy.
Yet there is one keynote in all our work.
a serious, critical, lofty idealism which
forms the background of the whole de-
partment and colors our teaching from
the elementary introductions TO the re-
searches of our candidates for the doc
tors degree All the public utterances
recent years are filled with this idealism.
in spite Of the greatest possible variety
of special subjects and special modes Of
treatment
After mentioning, as examples of this
idealism, recent books by Prof. James
Prof. Palmer, Prof. Santayana. Prof.
Royce and other members of the Dhilo-
sophical faculty of Cambridge Prof.
Muensterberg takes up the matter of the
naming of the new building whose pur-
pose he has outlined.
I've have sought" he says. whose
name might give symbolic expression to
this underlying sentiment of idealism and
might thus properly be connected with
the whole building. 1t cannot be tech
meal philosopher. Such name would
Indicate a prejudice for a special system
of philosophy, while we want above all
freedom Of thought. 1t ought to be an
American, to remind the young genera
ton that they do not live up to the hopes
of the school Of philosophy If they sim
ply learn thoughts imported from other
parts of the world, but that they them
selves as young Americans ought to help
the growth of philosophical thought. 1t
ought to be q Harvard mana man whose
memory deserves that his name be daily
on the lips of our students. and whose
character and whose writing will remain
a fountain of inspiration. Only one man
fuItllS all these demands pc fectly-Ralph
Waldo Emerson. 1t Is our wish and hope
that the new, dignihed, beautiful home of
philosophy may soon rise as the moral
and intellectual center of Harvard uni
versity and that over It's doors We shall
see the name-Emerson Hall-School of
Philosophy"
The Harvard philosophical department
as 1t exists at present is the creation Of
the last twenty-five years. The growth
OF the department has been remarkable
even within the last two or three years,
and It's popularity is an illustration of
the new interest in philosophy among
American undergraduate and graduate
students. The number of teachers IS
tWenty-SiX professors, two assistant pro-
fessors, four instructors, two teaching
fellows and six assistants. Thirty-two
courses are offered, covering history of
philosophy, metaphysics, theory of
knowledge, psychology, logic, ethics,
aesthetics, philosophy of religion, philo-
tion-so various are the branches III
cluded in present day philosophy even
after the restriction which modern usage
has placed upon the word. The attendance
in all courses last year was over 1,0U0
students. The Introductory courses alone
were attended by almost 400 students
that is, by a number corresponding to
the size Of the junior class. Naturally,
however, since the department has FOR
many years considered the advancement
of knowledge as it's highest function, IL
is inclined to lay special stress on the
graduate work now being done under it's
direction. Altogether ninety-sIx students
have taken part this last year in the So