Modern Philosophy.
93
THE PRESENT SITUATION. In order to obtain for our consideration a fair and accurate statement of the position of present-day philosophy, reference will be made to the “Hibbert Lectures” of 1909, on “The Pres ent Situation in Philosophy,” delivered by Professor William James, of Harvard University, at Manchester College, Oxford. These lectures have been published in a volume entitled “A Plu ralistic Universe” (Longmans, Green & Co.). Professor James is one of the very few philosophers of note who reject the teaching of monism. He advocates a theory styled “Pluralism,” of which a sufficient idea may be gained from the quotations to follow. It is of first importance to us to learn from Professor James what is the present status of dualism, since, as we have seen, that class embraces old-fash ioned or Bible Christianity. As, to this, he says: “Dualistic theism is professed as firmly as ever at all Cath olic seats of learning, whereas it has of late years tended to disappear at our British and American Universities, and be replaced by a monistic pantheism more or less open or dis guised” (page 24). According to this competent authority, the Roman Catholic colleges are the only ones of any consequence wherein the state ments of the Bible regarding the creation and government of the universe, the origin of living creatures, including man, the origin of evil, etc., are even “professed/’ The great universi ties of England and America, which were founded for the pur pose of maintaining the doctrines of Scriptures, and spreading knowledge of them as the revelations of the living God, and as the foundations of all true learning, have been despoiled of all that made them useful for the nurture of young minds, and that made them valuable to the communities wherein they have flourished; and this momentous change has been accom plished through the agency of philosophy and vain deceit, ac cording to the ancient tradition of men, according to the rudi ments of the world, and not according to Christ.
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker