WILLIAM JAMES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 908, 30 August 1910, Page 4

WILLIAM JAMES.

■ The death of Professor William James, the famous American philosopher and psychologist, announced in a cablegram which we publish today, removes a most interesting and striking personality from the world of modern thought. His contributions to the study of psychology, his Gifford Lectures on "The Varieties of Religious Experience, a Study in Human Nature," and his work's on Pragmatism have made his name famous throughout -> the civilised world as a brilliant, unconventional, and independent thinker. In his advocacy of Pragmatism as a practical philosophy of life he had many followers in his own country, and also secured considerable support in England and on the Continent of Europe. Put briefly and broadly Pragmatism is based on the principle that experience is more important as a factor in life than logic or argument, and when carried into the sphere of religion it means that for the religious man the objects of religion arc quite as immediately certain as are. the. socalled facts of Nature for the man of science; indeed they may be said to result from human nature itself. Professor James's theory is thus summed up by Professor Boutroux, of Paris: ■ , ,-.

Religions experience is as useful as scientific eiperience. It is even more immediate, concrete, expansive, and profound. Further still, it is presupposed by scientific experience. It can, moreover, from this time forward—thanks to the psychological .theory of the subconscious—look to science herself for support. It is developed in the same way as science, and is in harmony therewith. There is, then, ao, ground for believing that, it ■is only a survival of the past, and no longer an essential element in human, nature.

Professor James's views form a very effective protest against .the over-intellectualism of the nineteenth century. Of course his position has been keenly assailed Doth by philosophers and scientists, but he has certainly succeeded in bringing the world of thought back to first principles, and , his criticism has necessitated a re-examination of the foundations of _ all knowledge. That which proves itself to be good (according to the Pragmatist) is true, and "to a thought's meaning we need only determine what conduct it is fitted to produce;' that conduct is for us its sole significance." The Pragmatist point of view is not, of'.course, accepted as the final word in philosophy. It is, for instance, severely handled by Dr. Inge, the Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Cambridge, who states that. Professor James and his school

deny that thero are any "laws. of Nature" within the sphere of the will; they refuse to acknowledge any unity in experience, or any ovidenco that tho universe (which one of them suggests should be called the "multivcrse") is a. systematic whole. . "Not unfortunately," says Professor. James, "the universe." is wild; Nature is miracle.all." "We.must leave surprises even for' God," as another writer of the .same school says. This seems a high price to pay for free will. 'A "wild universe," where anything or everything may happen,, and v wiiich m its unaccountable behaviour- administers a series of shocks even to' its Creator, would seem to bo a fit. abode only for a very wild man, the kind of person, in fact, whom we do not permit to be at large.

Dr Inge declares that in proclaiming the bankruptcy of science Pragmatism proclaims its' own bankruptcy; and he also contends that it has fatal defects from a religious point, of view. However that may be, the modern world is greatly indebted to William James —"that profound and delicate thinker," \ as Professor Boutroux calls him, "whose literary style is so captivating"—for his brilliant contributions to psychology, philosophy, and al ; lied subjects. He has helped, to shake the world of thought out of the old' conventional lines, 'to broaden, tho philosophic outlook, to undermine scientific arrogance, and to give human personality its proper placo in .the scheme of things. No doubt many_ of his ■ more extreme positions will not stand the test of time and criticism, but he has played a prominent part in moulding the ideas of the present age and his death will leave , a vacancy in the intellectual world which will not soon or easily be filled. Mankind in general is the poorer for the loss of an outstanding personality and a brilliant and fearless seeker, after truth such as William James proved himself to be. ,