New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-01-13
BY William James

By William James
U AM only philosopher, and there is
only one thing that a philosopher can
be relied on to do, and that is, to con-
tradict other philosophers. In ancient
times philosophers defined man as the
rational animal, and philosophers since
then have always found much more to say
about the rational than about the animal
part of the definition. But looked at
candidly, reason bears about the same
proportion to the rest of human nature
that we in this hall bear to the rest of
America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Poly
nesia. Reason is one Of the very feeblest
of natures forces, if you take it at only
one spot and moment. 1t is only in the
very long run that its effects became per-
ceptible. Reason assumes to settle things
by weighing them against each other with
out prejudice, partially or excitement;
but what affairs in the concrete are set
tied by is, and always will be, just preju-
dices. partialities, cupidities and excite
ments.
Appealing to reason as we do, we are
in sort Of forlorn hope situation like a
small sand bank in the midst of an hungry
sea, ready to wash it out of existence.
But sand banks grow when the conditions
favor, and weak as reason is, it has this
unique advantage over it's antagonists, that
its activity never lets up and that it
presses always in one direction, while
mems prejudices vary, their passions ebb
and flow, and their excitements are inter
nittent Our sand bank, absolutely be-
lieve, is bound to grow. Bit by bit it will
get diked and breakwatered. But sitting
as we do in this warm room, with music
and lights and smiling faces, it is easy to
get too sanguine about our task, and since
I am called to speak, I feel as if it might
not be out of place to say word about
the strength of our enemy.
Our permanent enemy is the rooted
bellicosity of human nature. Man, biologi-
cally considered, and whatever else he
midable of all beasts of prey, and, indeed,
the only one that preys systematically on
his own species. We are once for all
adapted to the military status. A millen-
mum of peace would not breed the fight
ing disposition out of our bone and mar
vital will never consent to die without
resistance, and will always find inn
passioned apologists and idealizers.
Not only men born to be soldiers, but
non-combatants by trade and nature, his
torians in their studies, and clergymen III
their pulpits, have been wars idealizers.
They have talked of war as Of Gods court
of justice. And, indeed, if we think how
many things besides the frontiers of states
the wars of history have decided, we must
feel some respectful awe, in spite of all
the horrors. Our actual civilization, good
and bad alike, has had past wars for its
determining condition. Great mindedness
among the tribes of men has always meant
the will to prevail, and all the more so
if prevailing included Strengthening and
being slaughtered. Rome, Paris, England.
Brandenburg, Piedmont - possibly soon
Japan-along with their arms have their
traits of character, and habits of thought
prevail among their conquered neighbors
The blessings we actually enjoy, such as
they are, have grown up in the shadow
Of the wars Of antiquity. The various
ideals were backed by fighting wills, and
when neither would give way, the god Of
battles had to be the arbiter. A shallow
view this, truly, for who can say what
might have prevailed if man had ever been
a reasoning and not fighting animal?
Like dead men, dead causes tell no tales,
and the ideals that went under in the
past, along with all the tribes that repre-
sented them, find to-day no recorder. no
eXplainer, no defender.
But apart from theoretic defenders, and
apart from every soldierlY individual