The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-09
SOME OF THE new BOOKS
Two Hook,.,. NV ID. 8. Jordan.

The people of Indiana always have an
interest I'm David Starr Jordan, even when
they do not agree with him. They will
like to know, then. that the address he
delivered here two years ago, THE Blood
OF the Nation" is issued i'm book form. II is
a study of the decay of races through the
survival of the unfit, the fit being elm
mated by the ravages of war. Mr.. Jordan's
argument is against colonization and ex-
pansion, imperialism brought about by
the processes of war. He also discusses
the problem of heredity. the tendencies
which cause race degeneration, and the
factors of race development. AS usual,
DR.. Jordan's style is terse. lucid and forci-
bic, so forcible. indeed, as to suggest that
there is another side TO the question. DR..
Jordans essay is not balanced we'll enough
to be convincing, and from the scinetihc
standpoint it is somewhat inconsistent. One
thinks that the scientist must have be-
come humanist while writing it, DIR. Jor-
dan is as extreme Ruskin, who said:
War is the foundation of all high virtues
and faculties of men," but, OF course,
Jordan is extreme as Ruskin. Published
by the American Unitarian Association.
''The Philosophy of Despair" takes for It's
text several quotations from omar hhay-
expressed in the preface:
I'm the presence of the infinite problem
of life the voice of science Is DUMB LOT
science is the coordinate and corrected eX-
preston of human experience, and human
experience must stop with the limitations
OF human life. 1t is my purpose
of science TO the philosophy OF despair.
Direct reply science has none. We can
not argue against singer or q poet. inc
poet sings of what he feels, but science
speaks only of what we know. We feel
infinity. but we cannot know II. for to the
highest human wisdom the ultimate truths
of the universe are no nearer than 10 the
child. Science knows no ultimate truths.
These are beyond the reach of man, and all
that man knows must be stated In terms
of his experience. But as to human exper-
fence and conduct science has word to
say. Therefore, science can speak or the
causes and results Of pessimism. Ii can
touch t. the practical side or the ri .h Oh
swers to which lie within the province OF
human experience.
remarkably dependent upon its entirety,
but the following quotations are typical
alike of the rugged style and of the OPP
timism which science has to offer:
THE life of man is dynamic, not static,
not a condition, but movement Not
enjoyment and not sorrow is Its end or
Justification. 1t is rush of forces; an evo-
luton toward greater activities and high
er judgment; the growth of stability
which shall be evermore unstable.
For degree of optimism is necessary
as animal heat, and is the mental reflex OF
IL. Pessimism arises from depression or irri-
tation or failure of the nerves. 1t is a
symptom of lowered vitality expressed in
terms of the mind"
There is a philosophical pessimism, as
1 have already said, over and above all
merely physical conditions and not depend
ent on them. But the melancholy Jacques
of our ordinary experience either uses some
narcotic or stimulant to excess, or else
has trouble with his liver or Kidneys.
he llif fo yvh 9
alone, but the highest attainable truth is
the aim of science, and to translate science
into virtue is the goal of civilization"
Elder & Shepard, San Francisco.