The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-01-07
THE ILLUSIONS OF
= BERGSON
Sir Ray Lancaster and Mr.. H. s. II.
Elliot Consider NJ. Bergson a Blind
I Leader OF the Blind.

I Leader OF the Blind.
h distinguished scientific man
who furnishes the preface Of Modern
Science and the Illusions OF Professor
BergsOn@ is moved by a twofold con-
viction: first that Professor B~ergson's
books In which he formulates his il
susions Matter n Memory, Time
n Free Will, and Creative Evolu-
diOn) are worthless, confusing, and
Improbable and secondly that undue
Importance has been attached to these
books by the ingenious and systematic
advertisement Of NJ. Bergsol. on the
part or those who amuse themselves
with metaphysical ~curiosities. ITO
those who in a thoroughgoing way
occupy themselves In collecting and
comparing and classifying all the alb
surdities which ave been put forward
as metaphysics or metaphysical spec
Nlation' since the days of Aristotle.
this latest effusion has, no doubt, a
Kind Of interest such as a collector
may take in a curious sort of beetle.
To the student of the alterations and
monstrosities of the mind of man, NJ
Bergsons works will always be docu-
ments OF value. But it is an injustice
as well as an inaccuracy to speak of
their author as great or French or
a philosopher" The author Of the
soihS PiNiot iuOttS WIFI manifest uc-
sight the remark of a certain great
tawyer that the Self-appointed task of
the metaphysician is like that Of "a
blind man in a dark room hunting
for a black cat which-iS not there
Mr.. Elliot has undertaken not to
furnish a detailed refutation of NJ
B%ergson's philosophy, but to investi-
gate only those portions which profess
to be founded on facts. Under this
examination Mr.. Elliot has become
convinced that the Bergsonian phi.
losophy is ingenious, subtle, incom-
prehensible, and futile; that it is made
of airy nothings, Of metaphysical
Nerbiage, of metaphors which jump al
the itches. W. n thu meta
physical systems in general have q
vogue directly proportional to their
unintelligibility. That is their only
safeguard: to put them into plair
language would be to bring them tum
bling to the ground"
After an introduction, Mr.. Ellio'
devOteS a chapter to a statement o.
Nj. Bergson's philosophy, II one t.
reasons for dissenting" In the
Elliot. three fallacies constantly recur
the "mannikin f~allacy," by which thu
collapse Of one or more theories !!
taken as proof of a rival theory: thu
false analogy fallacy, -"employed az
nauseam throughout Bergson,'
hS dlu IIIdAy hC > I'll III
demonstrated and questionable state
ments as data for deduction. A fur
ther defect Of NJ. Bergson's books, &C
cording to Mr.. Elliot, is a misuse O
language. "Bergson.S medium Of ex
preston is largely a false coinage: hi
verbal currency is heavily laden will
C~ounterfeits. cunningly made, and de
mands careful testing before we lie
them pass"
The other chapters Of the book
THE Progress OF Philosophy" 9TH
Automaton Theory" THE Origin o
Eallacies," and "rhe True Province 0
Philosophy" continue the onslaught OF
N. Bergson and his vitalistic theory
Particularly pithy and interesting
Mr.. ElliOts One-page conclusion, IL
which he states and nswers tn
HTrench metaphysician'S Fundamental
doctrines: (1) that time is a stuf
both resistant and substantial" e
that consciousness Is to some exten
independent Of cerebral structure, an
go hat instinct leads US to a com
prehension Of life that intellect cOul'
never give.
Rergson and Mr.. Elliot is too big t
debate here. Be it tritely remarked
however. hat discussion clears tn
air. The worksN)f Bergson are un
ouestionably interesting and sug
g~estive; but his fondness for metapho
ana MS use OF analogy 1Or
requires that his readers be put o.
guard. For this reason MI. Elliot
book will no doubt prove highly use
tul.
MODERN SCIENCE AND THE II.
LCSIONS OF PROFESSOR BERG
son. BY Hugh S. II. Elliot. Wit
a preface by Sir e. Ray Lancaster
k.C.B., FRS. New York: Long
mans. Green & Co. Cloth, PIP. X,
257.