Modern Philosophy. 91 The following of a false scent for more than two thousand years is surely not a record to boast o f ; and yet it is true that, so far as results are concerned, philosophy has nothing more encouraging than this to offer as an inducement for engaging in it. We do not, however, propose anything so stupendous (and so unprofitable) as a review of the history of philosophy, but merely a brief statement setting forth the status of philosophy at the present day. And this we undertake in order that the non-philosophical reader may be able to^ascertain the charac ter of the influence which philosophy is exerting, in these times of change and mental unrest, upon the immediate problems of humanity, and upon what is called “the progress of human thought.” / *’ The great majority of men do no thinking beyond the mat ters which lie within the little circle of their personal interests. This unthinking majority takes its thoughts and opinions from an intellectual and cultured few, or from leaders who manage to gain their confidence. It is important, therefore, to ascer tain what ideas are prevalent among those who are in a posi tion to influence the opinions of the mass of mankind. This may easily be done by sampling the current philosophical teach ing at the great universities of the English-speaking countries. THEISTIC AND ATHEISTIC PHILOSOPHY. The various schools of philosophy which have flourished through the ages may be divided into two main classes, namely, theistic and atheistic. The former class embraces all philo sophic systems which assume a god of some sort as the origi nator and sustainer of the universe. It may be remarked in passing that theistic philosophies are more dangerous to hu mankind than the atheistic class, for the reason that the former are well calculated to ensnare those who, by nature or training, have a repugnance to atheism. We need pay no attention to atheistic philosophy, for the reason that it is quite out of favor
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