The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-26
COMPARES GERMAN
THINKING WITH
FRENCH
TEUTONIC THOUGHT, FORMERLY
TDEATISTIC, NOW REALISTIC,
WHILE GALLO PERMEATED
WITH HUMANITARIAN IDEA.

Paris, France. July 25.--An account
OF the address delivered by NJ. Bou
troux, professor of philosophy at the
Sorbonne, and member OF the Berlin
university. is given in the columns
Of the Temps. The subject of the adj
dress was the nature Of thought pro-
cesses in France and Germany.
NJ. BoutrouX, who dealt with his
difficult subject in broad and mas
terful manner, turned his attention
first TO Germany; he said that the
first thing which puzzled the French
In their consideration of German
thought was the very evident exis-
tence Of two completely different
mental attitudes. which could best
be described by the words idealism
and realism. Idealism seemed to
characterize the Germany of yestcr-
day. whilst realism applied to the
Germany of today.
To understand this apparent con-
tradiction was difficult problem
After careful consideration, however.
1t would be seen that these two ten
one to the other. The genius OF the
Germans was a unity. but unity
which was formed of the two tenden~
eIes to idealism and realism which
complemented each other. German
thought was governed by its concep-
ton of infinity, the whole. The aim
Of German life was the union of the
individual with the whole. which man
ifested itself In the organization of the
life of the community. This explained
the tendency to specialization among
the German people, each individual
being penetrated with the idea that
he should confine himself TO a re-
stTiCted field Of study OF work.
Turning TO French thought pro-
cesses. NJ. BOutrouX said that the inn
preston of tho German. in studying
his French neighbor, was that Of an
alienation between passive subinls-
sion and claims to Independence. From
this originated the German opinion
of the French as tickle and varia able.
It had even been said in Germany that
the French genius was of a negative
character. In spite OF appearances,
however, there existed IN the French
mind a dominant positive Idea, and
that idea was that of man.
The French ideal was essentially a
! human one. Since man manifested
intelligence and sentiment, the French
oscilated between these two charac-
teristics. This conception of the
French mentality was proved accu-
rate by certain considerations. among
which was the manner in which
philosophy, ethics. natural science and
teenth century. To the Frenchman
the standard above all others by which
everything should be measured was
that of the good and enlightened man.
The French language illustrated this
tendency in the genius of the nation,
Formed in the salons of the eigh-
teenth century and controlled in the
present day by the Academy, which
w Boutroux described a. salon
minus feminine influence, its charac-
teristies consisted OF clarity~and logi-
cal conciseness
The manner In which these two
modes of thought, the German and
the French, could best exert a bene-
ficent influence on each other formed
the third part of NJ. Boutroux's dis
course. He was careful to point out
that any amaigamatiOn would not he
advanta geous, that the nations must
preserve their respective genius. This
would not prevent the French from
learning to develop an attraction to-
wards the infinite. process which
their own great philosopher, Pascal.
had recommended to them. They
could also learn the lesson OF the eff
Placement of the individual in the well
fare of the community. Neither would
the Germans he prevented from OBJ
serving carefully the efforts OF the
French to realize, as an end IN itself.
the culture OF men which forms a
basis for the drawing together of the
human race and WHICH il essential to
competency in every direction.