The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-19
ENGLISH VIEW or PROF. .yAwFS.
Turning Point Tn the History OF Our
Time. One Writer Calls Him.

T1me. One NFttef tniis hAni.
The illustrated London News in an
article upon the late William James adopts
q rather unusual viewpoint lie was fall
Of those particular fine qualities. that
most people do actually find in Americans.
though most people are surprised To- frd
them. it says.
He was full Of enthusiasm. OF generous
appreciation. of spirituality and simple
ity- the article goes on. There a.. no
men les- prone than Americans to a mere
materiAlism: indeed. their fault is quite
the other wAy. In so,far a. Amerir,.
has really worshipped money it has not
been because morey IL tangible. Rather
il has been because money l. intar eihl-.
and Americans cultivate 1t ALWAYS III its
least tangible form IN the form Of shares
trusts. promises. implicit Understandings.
and illegal powers.
They worship the Invisible strength
81 money; they adore it a. a sort IT airy
Il the actual pleasures that il stands
for Thus even when the American -
Avariciou-. the American i not greedy
And when he IL the reverse nf avaricirris
when he ia. like Prof james naturally
~ being the most childishly inworldly
and even sanity 81 all IN. white mon
- this world
William James wa really turning
point in the history 81 our tune" and
he had all the sincerity and intellectual
innoc.nc. that - needed in such pivot
For a turning poirt. like any other point.
must be simple and Indivi-Ible
The English writer goes on :" say tina,
Prof jane will probably re counted
valuable rather for a rev olutlon In tn"
mode Of teaching than for any "f the
actual things he taught
Whatever theyiwere for James HIM. elf.
he says. James doctrines ar. scarcely
Of so much value To the world a. m,
spirited and satisfying style and tenn pr
What Mr. Bernard shaw did for the dI~.
cuaeinn Of economics and politics Prof
James did for the discussion OF psychology
and metaphysics. He forced them to
ioin the undignified dane" In common
sen-": he insisted that tn. phiIo-onh or
should have mode-ty enough to max.
q fool Of himself like the rest 81 man KIND
Every one il some sort Of psychologist
since every one has some sort Of psy-
choIogy just as real eligion concerns
every ono born with a heart. 30 real
philosophy concerns every one born with
a head According TO Prof James. Isy-
choiOzy IL "A kind OF surgery ia which
each man NUT lie content Ia he hot ~"
OPERATOR and the patient, every man miIs'
dig m his own soul lIk" his own garden
But IL was abov" ali m his eyes solid
study
Economics is not really the study ~
tables and statistics. which ar. more re-
mote than money. II Is TN" study II bread
which IL more actual than money So IN
the highest philosophy only tn" actual
IN important. and truth is NOR" Of a
fact than nheno'n.non
This practical plea 81 James for pOpu.
larIzins philosophy - his finest achieve
m-nt II i- always supposed that meta
physics must he full 81 technical and
elaborate terms Some would even argue
that th. word metaphysics itself i not
one to b. used playfIlly IN tn" nearest
pot house
But. for all that. tn. ultimst. Srudv
Of thought and the mind ought Ia Ice tho
simplest Of all studies. not. | mean. sim
pie in its task. but perfectly -impl" in i's
language IL We say something Of uni
versal scope We can obviously say II ~
easily Of plain or comic thing a. Of any
other thing Technical terms belong Ia
the study Of special physical facts birds
or beasts. or stars or stones. or weather
If somsbody with turn for original
observatIonsI remarks that on" swallow
does not make n summer. that IL "a matter
depending on special study Of such sea
sons and birds There are som. seven
teen swallows in the neighborhOod Of
my house and some gloomy parsons are
Of opinion that seventeen swallows have
not succeeded in making a summer
II was his glory that he populariz"d
philosophy. says the English writer ~
length 1T was his destruction that h.
popularized his own philosophy PraR
L.. r.
sophie training but good general brains
to me the other day Prof James APP
pealsd TO the ordinary man. and the
ordinary man condemned him