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The

Catholic University Bulletin.

Vol. XVIII.

October, 1912.

No. 7.

"Let there be progress, therefore; a widespread and eager progress in every century and epoch, both of individuals and of the general body, of every Christian and of the whole Church, a progress in intelligence, knowledge and wisdom, but always within their natural limits, and without sacrifice of the identity of Catholic teaching, feeling and opinion."-ST. VINCENT OF LERINS, Commonit, c. 6.

PUBLISHED BY

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

WASHINGTON, D. C

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"Say that by it I hoped to round out my system, which now is too much like an arch built only on one side," wrote Prof. James in a memorandum a short while before his death in August, 1910, directing the publication of this volume,1 in which he exposes the metaphysics of Pragmatism, and which, unfortunately, he was never able to complete.

For years James had cherished the purpose of stating coherently and systematically his views on the fundamental problems of metaphysics. He realized the fragmentariness of his empirical descriptive studies of mental phenomena, the importance of many problems suggested but not usually amplified there. He saw the inevitable demand which the science of psychology makes for a further philosophical discussion of these questions. At the same time, his former works, with their statements of facts and laws scientifically established, offered a basis to which this special discussion could constantly refer for its own grounds in experience.

As occasion offered, it is true, Prof. James had gone more deeply into some of these questions, e. g., in his volumes on: Pragmatism, and A Pluralistic Universe. But their interconnection and their bearing upon other problems remained

1

1 Some Principles of Philosophy, by William James, Longmans, Green & Co., New York, 1911.

to be established. And this he undertakes to do in the present volume, and carries out with a systematic conciseness and clarity begotten of long meditation and deepening insight. As the most mature expression of his thought it is of special value to the student of philosophy.

It is the study of the universe at large, not so much the description of its details, that we aim at in a consideration of these larger problems. If such a study meets at times with decided hostility in certain quarters; if the earnest seekers after elusive solutions have to suffer not infrequently "from man's native rudeness of mind which maliciously enjoys deriding long words and abstractions," and the philosopher is likened to "a blind man in a dark room, looking for a black hat that is not there," James' genial attitude towards all such "deriders of wise men" is well calculated to take the edge off their pointed shafts.

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Philosophy in the full sense is only "man thinking," thinking about generalities rather than about particulars; and if he find matter for puzzle and astonishment where no one else does, it can scarcely be denied that it is an essential part of a liberal education to know the chief rival attitudes towards life, as the history of human thinking has developed them, and to have heard some of the reasons they can give for themselves. "At a technical school a man may grow into a firstrate instrument for doing a certain job, but he may miss all the graciousness of mind suggested by the term liberal culture. He may remain a cad and not a gentleman, intellectually pinned down to his one narrow subject, literal, unable to suppose anything different from what he has seen, without imagination, atmosphere, or mental perspective." 3

And as to the first whence and the last whither of the cosmic process, men will always eagerly inquire. Besides, how many metaphysical problems confront us, lying as it were, midway between those two extremes? What is thought, and what are

2 Op. cit., p. 15.

Op. cit., p. 7.

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