Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-10
CATHOLICS FOUND
NEW INSTITUTION
Body to Promote Research
in Field of Philosophy
Organized at C. U.

!eges and universities in all parts OF
the United States met at the Catholic
University of America in Brookland
last Tuesday to lay the foundation
of new institution. the American
Catholic Philosophical Association. The
object of the association, as stated in
the constitution adopted at the meet
ing, is Ito promote study and research
IN the held of philosophy, with special
emphasis on scholastic philosophy"
The work of organization was car.
rled out, and the following officers
were elected: TT. Rev. MIR. Edward
\. Pace, d. D.. director of studies and
professor of philosophy at the Catho-
lie University, president, Rev. John
NJ. Fox, s. j., professor of ethics at
Holy Cross College, vice president;
Rev. James II. Ryan. Phi. d. asso-
ciate professor of philosophy at the
catholic University. Secretary-treas-
urer; Rev. Bernard NoGt, O. T. NJ. of
Butler. \. j., and Rev. Charles Milt-
ncr. g. =. c.. OF Notre Dame Uniyer-
N!ty. members of executive council for
one Year: Rev. John Mccormick. S. J..
OF Marquette University, Milwaukee.
and Rev. Ignatius Smith. O. P. of the
dominican house of studies, Brook
land. d. c., members for two years.
and the Rev. Jules A. Baisnee, $. S,
~ the SulpiCian Seminary, Washing.
ton. and Rev. +. Z. Siedfried of over
brook Seminary, Philadelphia. mem
berS for three years. The member
ship of the association Will consist of
persons throughout the country en-
Gdged or interested in the study of
philosophy.
DR.. Shahan Welcomes Delegates.
The meeting was opened formally
hy TT. Rev. Thomas j. Shahan.
ID. D., rector OF the university. who
delivered the address of welcome to
the delegates. Mgr. Pace. who pre-
sided, read the first paper. a discus
sion OF What a Philosophical Organi-
cation Can Do
Dealing with the necessity for such
an organization. he pointed TO the re
cent rapid growth of philosophical in
quiry. 1t has been spurred on" he
said, by the very thing that at one
time seemed to threaten its annihila-
toni mean by the advance of those
sciences whose methods lay claim to
utmost eXaCtneSS and whose achieve
lnentS contribute so much to the vel
fare of humanity. Philosophy. in
consequence, has been obliged to de-
termine more accurately its own prov
NICE. TO SCrutiniZe its methods and 10
test the value of its principles.
1T has been lead, if not driven. to
lake account of new aspects present
ed by the older sciences and of new
problems set before it by new sci
ences, which have sprung into exis-
fence and grown to power within q
day. Philosophy must reckon with
the findings of biology, psychology
and sociology as it never reckoned be-
fore" Emphasizing the importance
Of the place the association is TO hold
in the field of American education,
DR. Pace continued:
IF it is true that. as some compe-
tent authorities declare. American ed.
ucation has not only failed of its pur-
pose as ii producer of good citizen
ship. but also is responsible for the
increase in lawlessnesS, IL evidently
* necessary to ascertain the reason.
And this. undoubtedly, lies deeper
down than any defect of organiza-
ton. curriculum or method of inStruc-
lion. 1t is TO be sought and found
IN the philosophical principles which
unierie all education. 1t can no
longer be said with truth that Ameri-
can thinkers are wholly absorbed in
The special sciences
Afternoon Program.
The afternoon session was taken up
principally with Il symposium of dis
CuSSion in which six speakers took
part. The subject was What the
New Scholasticism Has to Offer Mod
ern Thought" The subject as viewed
from the several fields of thought was
treated in the following order: From
the Field of Metaphysics" Rev Fran
els >. Siegfried, Phi. D.. of Overlook
Seminary. Philadelphia, Pa: From
The Field OF Epistemology," Rev.
Joseph T. Barron. Phi. D.. st. Paul
seminary. s.. Paul. Mimi; From the
Field of Philosophy of Nature" Rev.
Jules A. Baisnee. s. s. Pm. D., Sulpi-
elan Seminary, Washington, D. G.;
From the Field of Biology" Rev.
Alphonse NJ. Schwitalla, S. j., Phi. D..
st. Louis University, st. Louis, Mo-;
From the Field of Psychology" Rev.
+. J. Waters, Phi. d, St. Johns Semi
nary. Brighton, Mass: From the
Field of Ethics" Rev. Charles Miltner,
&. S. c., Phi. D., University Of Notre
Dame, Notre Dame. Ind. and From
the Field of Social Ethics" Rev. f. v.
Corcoran, c. NJ, Phi. D.. Kenrick Semi
nary, Webster Groves. Mo.
The association will meet annually.
No date has been set for the next
meeting.
A number of important meetings of
learned societies We're held through,
ont the country during the recent
holidays to which the University sent
:. representative. Rev. DR.. James II
, Ryan. Ph. d, associate professor OF
philosophy. attended meeting Of the
American Philosophical Association al
Smith College. Northampton, Mass.
December %, and read a paper or
The Problem of knowledge From the
Point of View of DualiStic Realism.
Cooper's Contribution.
Rev. DIR. John NJ. Cooper attended
The annual meeting of the American
Archaeological Association at YALE
University, New Haven, December
%. and read a paper entitled The
Obidiwan Band of the Tetes de
Roule" 1t was a summary of phys
ical, linguistic and cultural data
gathered in field research study dur
ing June, 1925, among this unstudiet
tribe of ST. Maurice Rover, Quebec
near the Hudson Bay divide.
At the meeting of the American
Catholic Historical Association helC
at Ann Arbor Mich, December 2S31
a paper on the historian of Italy
Ludovico Antonio Muratori was reat
by Rt. Rev. Thomas j. Shahan, u. ID.
rector of the university. Rev. Pete
Guilday, professor of church history
and secretary of the association, con
tributed a paper on "A PROPOSED
Source Book of American Catholic
History" Papers were also read b!
Rev. Joseph p. Christopher, Phi. D.
and Rev. Edwin Ryan, S. 7. D., botf
members of the university faculty.
The midyear examinations Will be
gin al the university on Friday. Jan
uary %.
Prof Thomas J. Mackavanagh
, represented the university at the
meeting OF the National Collegiate
Athletic Association in New York
December IS and %.