DUNEDIN W.E.A. LECTURES.

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 12, 29 September 1933, Unnumbered Page

DUNEDIN W.E.A. LECTURES.

Philosophy and © Maori Culture from. aYA ny The Otago W.E. A. _session. Sqaring the early part of October will.be taken: by Mr, J. M. Bates, who during .1933 has been lécturér in’ Philosophy in the Uniyersity of Otago. Mr.’ Bates -proposes to discuss the -human side’ of some ‘great . philosophical ‘thinkers, with special reference ° to figures. as- diverse -as-the Athenian Socrates, the Scottish ‘Dayid. Hume and:.the: German Im‘manuel Kant, ~ Though the ‘approach to philosophical :. studies . is sometimes guarded, by what appear’ at first sight to’ be ‘difficult habits ‘of:-speech, many people who ‘refuse :to "be deterred by these preliminary difficulties’ probabli find themselves in’ a. ‘position similar (6 that’ of* the famous. -Frénchman inyented by: Moliere, who on seeking instruction in:the art of writing prose was greatly astonished to: discover that it was prose which he has ‘been in the habit‘of writing all his life." Whether we know ‘anything. about philosophy In a conscious way or not, exyen. the’ least reflective of | _maiikind .occasionally philosophises, . _ speculates about the meaning of the-inserutable riddles ‘of the universe. In one'important.sense .the problems ‘of philosophy are unchanging, ‘eternal; the. language has altered, but ‘the underlying ideas with which Plato for example grappled are often, uncannily. like..the ideas which reflection upou: the most knotty problems.of modern society frequently suggest... But at the same time the content of philosophical ideas-also -grows and develops. To be a great thinker often means a. not entirely comfortable position~in the world. Thought-is liabie to be disturbing, and although -changing circumstances demand growing and developing thought, even those who are in closest touch with the changing circumstances do not always realise the necessity. ‘for. such growth, and’ those who make themselves. the ‘instruments whereby new ideas germinate ‘and spread‘are often regarded with.the utmost suspicion by people: who find‘ new ideas upsetting. Later in October, Mr. H..D. Skinner, lecturer in Anthropology at..the University of Otago, and one of the lead--ing authorities on Maori ethnology and culture, will conduct: listeners on two imaginary lialf-hour tours of the Maori gallery in the Otago ‘University Mu- \ seum, with the management .of which Mr, Skinner is closely associated, .It is no novelty for even the-most-philistine _ of laymen to observe that the day when museums were justly regarded 935 musty. collections of tiresome’ bones and Stones, to be glanced at only, under the pressure of the most. ‘gloomy weather which -precluded activities..of a- more enlivening. character, : "has long: since passed, and in nearly every. part’of the world, even in small "towns which might-feel. themselves overwhelthed. by more substantial neighbours, myseums have in ‘recent years developed: along ‘ lines which at once arouse ‘lively -interest ‘and attention. ' Among the: museums of the Dominion, . Dunedin’ occu pies:a:- worthy place, o