The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-03
SCIENTIST TELLS
/ WHAT IS LAUGHTER
PROFESSOR BERGsoN SAYS IN WAS
INVENTED TO CORRECT
orr PLUMBERS.
COMES TO LECTURE
NOTED FRESCHMAN ONCE HEARD
THE COLONEL SPEAK. AND
SAYS HE rs COMPLETE
IN HIMSELF.

NEW YORK. Feb. among the
passengers Of the Cunard liner Car
mania, which arrived today, was
Professor Henri Bergson. recognized
as one of the greatest philosophers
of the day. Professor Bergson will
remain IN this country only three
weeks. and viii deliver Il series of
lectures on 1.-The method of phil
osophy," ard ian outline Of the
theory of knowledge" at Columbia
university. He win also deliver one
lecture in Princeton, and one lecture
in Harvard.
II am really sorry that | cannot
stay in America longer this time"
said Professor Bergson. flor there
are SO many Interesting features
about American life, that should
very much like TO study. I am deep
ly interested i'm the university life of
America. and especially In the reli-
gious movements which are SO differ
ent from those in Europe"
Professor 3ergson seemed some
what surprised when tho newspaper
men who met him asked him for his
views on laughter.
Definition of Laughter.
MY little volume on laughter was
written many years ago, and Is not
what I would consider as my most
important works. said the French
philosopher with smile. ut LIS true
that I worked on 1t a very long
time. / find that it lis impossible TO
give off-hand q formula for the signi-
ficance to laughter in life. took
the study of the subject simply be-
cause It amused me. The best. or
rather the least faulty formula would
be this:
we laugh when living things give
us the impression of mechauisms
1t seems as If laughter were invent
ed for the benefit of correcting
blunders made by man. Man is Of
ten ridiculous when we regard him
as machine"
Praise for America.
Professor Bergson was enthusiastic
in his praise OF America and Ameri-
can philosophers and psychologists.
II admire Henry James, he said,
/ "and / know that his work is ad-
mired In America. But ! was especi-
ally fortunate in that / knew him
well personally. and ! believe that
/ understood hts writings much bet
ter after / have become familiar
with his personality.
When asked for his views on SYM
dicatism, with which movement Pro-
fessor Bergson's name is frequently
associated, the French philosopher
said
Fl cannot give nay views on this
subject. The fact lis that have not
made a thorough study OF the sub
jeot.''
The Colonel Ia Complete.
| One of the newspaper men mem
/ toned Colonel R0oseveaf's lecture In
/ France, and asked Professor Berg
/ son whether he had heard it.
/ mo, l didn't hear that lecture
| answered the philosopher. "but ]
heard him deliver an extemporaneous
talk at the Academy. and | was quite
struck by his self confidence, and
| also by his ability. l felt that he
was complete in himself / was deep
/ ~ impressed by him"
| OF President elect Wilson he said:
| II have q very high opinion bf
him as "a scholar. Long before he
was elected his reputation among
| scholars was great In France"
| Women Equal of Men.
| OF, the suffragettes the French phil
| osopher said as follows:
Il certainly do not approve of the
| militant methods OF the suffragettes. /
| know that enthusiasm goes hand in
/ hand with violence. but am convinced
/ that the women are inturing their own
/ cause by enthusiasm of this kind.
must say that have never found any
l difference of level between the male
/ and female mind. Women have not had
/ as yet the opportunity TO produce phil
| aptitude. men and women are equal.
| When / lectured TO male and female
i students l experimental by giving the
! same subject for compositions TO men
/ and to women. The results were that
| the papers could be mixed up, and 1T
would be diMcult to tell which were
written by men and which by women.
| when I am asked for my views on
| the woman suffrage movement. I say
that am for experimenting, yet ! must
| add that In is rather dangerous ex-
/ pertinent since half OF the people
would be difficult to tell which were
| should be done gradually"
Professor BerHson was met at the
pier by President Butler. of Columbia,
whose guest he will be during his stay
In this country.