PROFESSOR HUNTER'S LECTURE.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 166, 8 April 1919, Page 8

PROFESSOR HUNTER'S LECTURE.

Sir,—ln his recent lecture on "Sociology," as reported in The Dominion of April 3, Professor Hunter declared that "men had abandoned the theological or supernatural explanation of phenomena in favour of the physical explanation." Who are the "men" referred to? If the professor means, as apparently he does, that the leaders of modern thought have 'Abandoned the spiritual interpretation of Nature and accept the mechanical interpretation, he is greatly mistaken. _ In reply to his dogmatic assertion it is sufficient to stale that the spiritual interprelion is upheld by such eminent authorities as William James, G. 1 , . Stout, Henri Bergson, A. J. Balfour, James Ward, and Emile Boutroux. President Wilson, who is a great' Scholar as well as a great statesman, docs not regard the nhysical explanation aa the only explanation of phenomena. He recently declared 'tliat '"'in these- times of conflict, when inaSters po largo are to be settled, a man would go crazy if he did not believe in Providence It would be a maze without a clue. Unless there is some supreme guidance ono would despair of the results of human counsel. Professor Hunter says "the causes of social phenomena must' be sought in various stresses, economic, intellectual, or 60cial." Are all these stresses physical or mechanical? Mr. William M Dougall, Reader in Mental Philosophy in the Urn. versity of Oxford, eeems to take a α-nry different view from that of Professor Hunter. In his "Social Psychology he co-'teiids that "the creature does not merely move in a certain direction, like an inert mass impelled by external force; its movements arc quite incapable of being described in the language with which wo describe mechanical movements. . . • Behaviour is a persistent trial'or striving towards au end, with, if necessary, variation of the means em■iloyod for its attainment." No physical explanation of human behaviour can l>e complete or adequate. No attempt to explain social phenomena without making allowance for the influence, of the religious 'instinct can be adequate or satisfactory. Air. M'Dousall declares that i "religion lias powerfully influenced social development in 60 many ways, and

tUo primary emotions and impulses through winch the religious conceptions have e'xcrted this influence have cooperated so intimately that they must, be considered together when we attempt to illustrate their role in social life." Anolier eminent scientist', D. J. Y. Simpson, Professor of Natural Science, New College, Edinburgh, tells us that "it is a. fact of history that where no super-, rational transcendent sanction is reco;nisuil, human nature is unable in itself to subordinate its individual temporal, proclivities in the interests of future generations, and only those communities in which a definitely spiritual outlook on. the world is fostered have been proved. to bo possessed of the elements nt'ccsenvy for social survival."—l nni, etc.. NORMAN E. BUBTON.