which the philosopher has turned frequently to solve the puzzle,[1] or the Critical Philosophy from the Greeks to our own day, or Pragmatism old and new, we find constant evidence of the difficulty felt by the philosopher in seeking to remain loyal to his ideal. From this vantage ground one may see with new meaning how thoroughly enfant terrible the keen and lucid Clifford was.
So much for the ideal and the fact. Can the ideal be realized nevertheless? Never completely, I believe. It may be approached more and more, to be sure, but always short of full realization. It must remain an ideal, invaluable and precious, to the philosopher regarding with minimal prejudice the actual conditions. For however far the ideal may lead in emancipating reason from the check of the non-rational factors, the integrity of the basic background of human evolution must be guarded unceasingly. Thus the ideal must remain impossible of accomplishment because of the very conditions under which the search for truth proceeds.
In a situation so complex one would be bold indeed to hope for more than partial comprehension. But one may seek some clarification by reference to two points especially, as we shall do: First, the underlying and basic mechanism of society as conditioning any human activity at all, including the search for truth; second, the struggle between the naturally monistic tendency of reason as systematizing instrument and the pluralistic direction demanded by facts and values. The second will engage us but briefly after treating the first more at length.
In order that any organism may survive, adaptation of internal conditions to external environment must be accomplished.[2] The non-survivals of endless kinds may have been myriads of millions, but in all actual survivals the type is conceivable just in terms
- ↑ Notably the two Bacons; but, generally, confidence in reason has bred the belief that error may be removed by simply discovering the hindrances to pure reason.
- ↑ The notion of organic development is basic for the ideas here presented, and the traditional formulation of the evolution theory is accepted in the belief that current reconstruction of that theory does not affect the notion of adaptation here employed.
