Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-02
BY BENJAMIN DE CAssEREs.

BY BENJAMIN DE CASSERES.
(Copyrisht, 1881 by the Associated Presso
NEW YORK, July 2.-PhilOsophy-
which is. literally the love of wisdom
but which is, in reality, the art or Sci
ence of explaining the how and why of
thingS-never has had much of a vogue
in America. Today less SO than ever;
for the American cares very little about
the how and why of things. His one
question is: Will it work out?
He doesn't philoscphze en- the cur
rent depression of his jobless condition
or the contraction in stock values. He
is not concerned, if he is a wet, with
how prohibition came on us. Nor will
he take any steps. either personally or
through his legislative representatives,
to prevent future moves Of a like ma
tire. He philosophers thus: Here it
is. Let's dodge it if We can't get out
Of it,
U. S. Reflections Practical.
This attitude is. I suppose, phi
lOSOphy in a Way-a lazy. do-nothing
good-natured philosophy founded on the
ineradicable and inherent optimism of
the expansive soul who calls the State
in which he happ ms to be born Gods
own country" and who believes every
thing always comes out right III the
emo"
That's the philosophy, anyhow. of
the man in the street OF abstract
thought he has not a glimmer. Theories
of the universe, psychological problems
and Philosophical aphorisms and rules
are no more TO him than the EinSoein
theory to gnat on a derby. His
wisdom" is Get it and hold it" And
I'm not sure that it isn't the profound
est the only and the most workable
system of philosophy, so long as the
world is peopled by practical, down-to-
the-ground beings.
Emerson and Jefferson.
In the regions of pure philosophical
thought We boast of two men who have
affected profoundly thought in Europe
Ralph Waldo Emerson and William
James, and one political philosopher
whose influence has been universal
Thomas jefferson.
Emerson and jefferson. both advo-
Gates of extreme and aggressive indi-
vidualiSm and theoretically. at least,
1dealSt- Anarchists, are as dead in the
country of their birth, so far as the
public goes, as prohibition in Hoboken
We move toward the Standardization
and destruction of all individual rights
which Molo2h-State becomes the alb
sorber and keeper of all personal values.
James Pragmatism Fits L. S.
William James, who gave US the
philosophy OF pragmGtism-or what
have you?-comeS nearer to the ideal
American philosopher, fits more neatly
into the American character, than
eloher Emerson or jefferson.
Pragmatism is really great and uni
versal individual philosophy which
makes the workableness-or cash down
value" as James calls it-of thing the
criterion of its truthfulneSS. He is, in
a manner. the enemy of abstract
thought. His antithesis is Remy de
Gourmont, who said, Thoughts are to
be thought. not acted" Personally. I'm
with De Gourmont, although a great
admirer Of James. His pragmatism was,
however. merely a revival Of John
Stuart Hills utilitarianism
Dewey James Disciple.
Prof. Dewey is William James most
famous disciple in America today. He
rules the philosophical roost
Dewey is headed right, which means
he's in wrong in his native country He
is the official spokesman of a small and
diminishing group of doctrinaire indi-
vidualists
Prof Dewey deserves a monument
during his lifetime for refusing TO run
away with Mark Twain and William
Dean Howells when the two latter over
come with morale g-quaking, got off
of the Reception Committee to Maxim
GCrkv because the latter had with him
q lady to whom. according to Anglo
Saxon law, he was not legally married.
] salute a philosopher who makes his