recitations; the Intermediate courses by lectures and assigned
readings, reports and essay-writings. The Advanced courses are pursued
by class discussions, conversations, etc. on basis of work done
independently by the student.
The teaching is carried on by John Dewey, J. H. Tufts, and F. N. Scott.
JOHN DEWEY.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY.
The courses at Harvard are, we believe, the most complete offered in
any American University. They consist (for 1890-91) of four groups:
I. INTRODUCTORY COURSES.
IN LOGIC, METAPHYSICS, AND PSYCHOLOGY.
II. SYSTEMATIC COURSES
PSYCHOLOGY, COSMOLOGY, ETHICS, PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION, THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL BASIS OF RELIGIOUS FAITH, AND THE CONTENT OF CHRISTIAN
FAITH.
III. HISTORICAL COURSES.
Including lectures on COMPARATIVE RELIGION, GREEK PHILOSOPHY,
DESCARTES-SPINOZA-LEIBNITZ, ENGLISH PHILOSOPHY FROM HOBBES TO HUME, THE
MOVEMENT OF GERMAN THOUGHT FROM 1770-1830, CONTEMPORARY SYSTEMS AND
APPLIED ETHICS.
IV. COURSES OF ORIGINAL RESEARCH.
Including the Psychological, Metaphysical, and Ethical Seminaries.
These do not include the additional and auxilliary courses in other
subjects, which are required for Honors.
"Holding that there is one best way for the young student to begin
his philosophical study," says Prof. G. H. Palmer, "we have planned
a single introductory course and have given it variety by setting
three instructors to teach it. When these elementary matters have been
mastered, we offer the student a choice among half-a-dozen dogmatic
courses, or among as many more historical. These last two sets of
courses are open alike to graduates and to undergraduates. For graduate
specialists three or four lines of Seminary work are provided, with a
view to giving the most advanced students ample opportunity to develop
their individual powers.... But the chief aim of our Honors is to test
powers rather than acquirement."
In Harvard there are six instructors engaged in the department of
philosophy alone: Prof. G. H. Palmer, Prof. C. C. Everett, Prof. W.
James, Prof. F. G. Peabody, Prof. J. Royce, and Dr. G. Santayana.
A dozen or more courses of philosophical content are offered, and
acquaintance with auxilliary branches is necessary to take Honors.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.
The instruction given in the various branches of philosophy at this
institution is conducted according to the following scheme:
1. PROPÆDEUTIC TO PHILOSOPHY. Empirical psychology, including formal
logic, deductive and inductive. Four times a week.
2. INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY. History of European philosophy, in
outline. Four times a week.
3. ELEMENTARY ETHICS, INCLUDING CIVIL POLITY. Sketch of the history
of ethical and political theories; critique of the conflict between
perfectionism and hedonism, freedom and necessity, optimism and
pessimism; investigation of the nature of a state, and of its bearing
on the limits of liberty and allegiance. Four times a week.
4. FIRST ALTERNATING COURSE. Exposition of some principal movement
or conflict in the history of philosophy, by a critical study of its
leading participants; or the like, the subject being changed from year
to year. Twice a week.
5. SECOND ALTERNATING COURSE. Some additional topic, similar to that
of Course IV., and similarly changed, but drawn, preferably, from the
field of practical philosophy. Four times a week.
6. GRADUATE COURSE. First-hand study of certain philosophic
masterpieces, such as Plato's _Parmenides_, _Theætetus_ and _Sophist_,
Aristotle's _De Anima_, Kant's _Kritiken_, or Hegel's _Phænomenologie
des Geistes_; etc. Four times a week throughout the year.
Courses 1, 2, and 3, in this scheme are permanent, and are repeated
from year to year in substantially the same form; Course 4 is continued
throughout a whole year; the rest throughout a single term. Courses
4 and 5 are projected with the intention of furnishing a variety of
topics, a new one being usually presented each year; though a subject
is sometimes continued, if it proves to excite the special interest
or meet the particular wants of the incoming Senior class. Course 6,
provided for graduate students only, is sufficiently described in its
sub-title.
The specific subjects for the ensuing year 1890-91, under these courses
with varying topics, will be as follows:
Course 4. PHILOSOPHY FROM KANT TO HEGEL. The Development of
Rationalistic Idealism, from its negative and partial to its complete
and positive form. Twice a week.
Text-Books: (1) Watson's Philosophy of Kant; (2) Everett's Fichte's
Science of Knowledge; (3) Watson's Schelling's Transcendental Idealism;
(4) Caird's Hegel; (5) Hegel's Logic, translated by Wallace. With the
standard works of reference.
Course 5. HIGHER ETHICS. Based on a criticism of Sidgwick and
Martineau. Four times a week during the second term.
Text-Books: (1) Sidgwick's Methods of Ethics; (2) Martineau's Types of
Ethical Theory.
Course 6. GRADUATE COURSE. The Dialektik and Methodenlehre in Kant's
Kritik, followed by Hegel's Lesser Logic in Wallace's translation. Four
times a week throughout the year.
From this statement it will be seen that some important text covering
each topic is in the hands of each student. The object of this is to
furnish an actual historical basis for the discussion of the subject,
which is conducted by the professor's lectures. These proceed from
a criticism, partly appreciative, partly destructive, of the texts
chosen, to a constructive and positive presentation of the subject,
according to the reasoned views of the lecturer.
The interest in philosophical studies is steadily increasing in this
institution. The instruction in them was opened in the academic year
1884-85, and the growth of interest is well indicated by the fact that
the number of students now annually electing these courses is more than
double the number during the first and second year.
G. H. HOWISON.
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
The Courses offered in Logic, Psychology, Ethics, and Philosophy, at
this institution for the year 1890-91, are as follows:
UNDERGRADUATE COURSES.
1. A ELEMENTARY COURSE IN LOGIC. Two hours a week.
2. THE ELEMENTS OF PSYCHOLOGY. One hour a week.
3. SCIENTIFIC METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY. Lectures with Laboratory Work. Two
hours.
4. EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY. Lectures with Laboratory Work. Two hours.
5. A COURSE IN ETHICS. Two hours.
6. A COURSE ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF ETHICS. One hour.
7. A COURSE ON THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY. Two hours.
8. A COURSE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF IDEALISM. Two hours.
GRADUATE COURSES.
1. COMPARATIVE, SOCIAL, AND ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY. Two hours.
2. SPECIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. Lectures with Laboratory Work. Two
hours.
3. ADVANCED PSYCHOLOGY. Two hours.
4. ETHICAL THEORIES. One hour.
5. HISTORY OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY. Two hours.
Each course of undergraduate lectures will extend through half the
year. Courses 1, 2, 3, and 7, will be delivered during the first term;
Courses 4, 5, 6, and 8 during the second. Of the graduate lectures,
Courses 1 and 2 will be given during the first and second terms
respectively. Courses 3, 4, and 5 will extend throughout the year. The
psychological laboratory is open at all hours to students engaged in
special researches.
In addition to these courses, mention may be made of those delivered on
Physiological, Abnormal, and Comparative Psychology in the Biological
and Medical Schools of the University; and of the numerous courses,
more or less directly ethical, which are delivered in the field of
Sociology. In several of these there is a purposed effort to bring out
the significance for ethics of the subject treated.
GEO. S. FULLERTON.
CLARK UNIVERSITY.
From the well-classified and thorough courses offered at Clark
University, (conducted by Dr. Hall, Prof. Donaldson, Dr. Sanford, Dr.
Boas, Dr. Cook, Dr. Strong, and others,) we select, for its uniqueness,
an account of the instruction at that institution in—
APPLIED ETHICS.
Under this head, come among others, the different forms of abnormal and
pathological humanity. The most extreme form is treated of in Criminal
Anthropology, which takes up the study of man as criminal. As an
introduction, the acts that would be considered criminal in man's case,
are investigated, as they appear in the whole realm of nature. This
division we call Criminal Embryology.
The other divisions to be considered in the lectures are: the
Anthropometry, Craniology, Physiognomy, Cerebrology, Psychology,
Sociology, Teratology, and Prophylaxis of criminals; also criminality
in relation to Psychiatry and Psychiatrical Anthropology. The general
relation of Ethics to Criminal Anthropology, is one of degree; crime
being an exaggerated form of wrong. We can illustrate the method of
application in this way: If a nerve of a normal organism is cut, the
organs in which irregularities are produced, are those which the nerve
controls. In this way the office of a nerve in the normal state may be
discovered. The criminal is, so to speak, the severed-nerve of society;
and the study of him is a very practical way (though indirect) of
studying normal men. And since the criminal is seven-eights like other
men, such a study is also a direct inquiry into normal humanity.
The lesser degrees of abnormal and pathological cases will be discussed
under the head of Charitology. These are represented by the different
kinds of benevolent institutions, such as almshouses, asylums for
the insane, imbecile, and epileptic; for the deaf, dumb, and blind;
hospitals, dispensaries, and infirmaries; homes for truants, orphans,
and for the friendless and aged.
The characteristics of inmates of such institutions and the methods
of treatment and prevention, will be the main considerations. The
facts gathered, and the principles underlying such institutions, will
be utilised in an attempt to give a scientific basis to ethics. The
problems of right, duty and freedom, will be carefully considered.
Accepting the sociological truism, that the community is more important
than any individual in it, the ethical standpoint of the lecturer is:
_that the idea of wrong depends upon the moral, intellectual, physical
or financial danger or injury, which a thought, feeling, willing or
acting, brings to humanity_.
The decision, as to what thoughts, feelings, actions, etc., are
dangerous or injurious, will depend upon the results from the
application of the scientific method to the different departments of
knowledge.
The direct practical object of the course, will be the study of
preventatives, based on a thorough diagnosis.
Visitations and practical investigations of charitable and penal
institutions will be made as occasion shall offer.
The lectures will be delivered in the latter part of the year.
ARTHUR MACDONALD.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN.
Besides the comprehensive courses in psychology, the following are
offered:
1. HISTORY OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY. A brief survey of the development of
philosophical thought in Greece. Zeller's Hand-book of Greek Philosophy
is the reference book. Twice a week. Elective. (Prof. Jastrow.)
2. THE HISTORY OF MODERN ENGLISH PHILOSOPHY. Three times a week.
Elective. (Prof. Stearns.)
3. ETHICS. Four times a week. Elective. (Prof. Stearns.)
4. ÆSTHETICS. In addition to the study of the physiological and
psychological basis of æsthetics an elementary knowledge of the history
of art and the principles of art criticism is given by lectures and
discussions. Five times a week. Elective. (Prof. Stearns.)
5. ELEMENTARY LOGIC, DEDUCTIVE AND INDUCTIVE. The analysis of
arguments, the construction and elaboration of syllogisms; the symbolic
and diagrammatic methods of representing logical operations, and modern
and ancient systems of logic will form the main topics of the deductive
logic; while in inductive logic special emphasis will be laid upon the
methods of scientific reasoning, the logic of chance, the detection of
fallacies, and the estimation of evidence. Daily in winter term. (Prof.
Jastrow.)
6. ADVANCED LOGIC. Special attention paid to the logic of the sciences;
to mathematical logic as introduced by Boole and developed by Venn,
Peirce, Schroeder and others; to the theory of probabilities, and the
history of logical doctrines. Twice weekly. Elective. (Prof. Jastrow.)
7. MILL'S LOGIC. A general course upon the philosophy of reasoning and
the principles of inductive science. Killick's Handbook to Mill's Logic
used. Three times weekly. (Prof. Jastrow.) Each course extends over a
single term only.
In Ethics an effort is made to introduce the students to three phases
of the subject, the historical, theoretical, and practical. The first
is at present limited to a brief review, by lectures, of the chief
English ethical theories. In the second Prof. Fowler's Progressive
Morality is made the basis of the instruction. The third is pursued
chiefly in the form of topics, relating generally to current ethical
questions, which are assigned for special study to members of the
class, and their presentation is, when desirable, made the basis of
general discussion.
J. W. STEARNS.
BOSTON UNIVERSITY.
The following are the courses for the present year, at Boston
University, under the direction of Prof. B. P. Bowne and Dean
Huntington.
PSYCHOLOGY. Thought studied as a fact; its forms and laws investigated;
Current Theories expounded and criticised. Five hours.
LOGIC. Thought studied not as a fact, but as an instrument of
knowledge. Investigation of the laws, forms, aims, and methods of
mental activity. Five hours.
THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE. The study of thought as a process supplemented
by the study of knowledge as its product. Knowledge defined, and the
conditions, subjective and objective, of its validity investigated. The
claims of scepticism, agnosticism, etc., considered at length. Three
hours.
METAPHYSICS. Modifications of ontological and cosmological ideas in the
light of rational criticism. Four hours.
PHILOSOPHY OF THEISM. The logical value and foundation of Theism
considered. Four hours.
HISTORY OF ETHICAL THOUGHT. Christian Ethics. Text-book and lectures.
Five hours.
PHILOSOPHY OF ETHICS. Critical and constructive review of ethical
theories. Psychological questions as to the nature and origin of moral
faculty ruled out as irrelevant. Two hours.
HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY. From Descartes to the present time. Five hours.
The Philosophical Club, organised in 1886, has since that time
maintained stated meetings for the furtherance of its members in
philosophical studies.
Last year, under the auspices of the University, a special course
of five lectures on Educational Psychology was given before large
audiences by William T. Harris, LL. D. The topics treated were as
follows:
1. Introspection contrasted with external Sense Perception.
2. Mental Pictures _versus_ General Ideas.
3. The Logical Constitution of Sense Perception.
4. Physiological Psychology.
5. The Psychology of Mathematics, Æsthetics, and Ethics.
The courses are for single terms only.
B. P. BOWNE.
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY.
The Undergraduate instruction in philosophy provides five hours a week
of required work for one year:
1) IN DEDUCTIVE AND INDUCTIVE LOGIC; 2) IN PSYCHOLOGY; 3) IN ETHICS.
The courses are unified and thorough. A voluntary course in the History
of Philosophy is given; and advanced courses will be offered this year
in Modern Philosophy from Descartes to Kant, and in English Ethics from
Hobbes to Stephen. The instructors are Professors Griffin and Emmot.
PERIODICALS.
MIND. July 1890. No. LIX.
CONTENTS:
OUR SPACE-CONSCIOUSNESS. A Reply. By _Herbert Spencer_.
VOLKMANN'S PSYCHOLOGY (I). By _Thomas Whittaker_.
THE LOGIC OF THE ETHIC OF EVOLUTION. By _William Mitchell_.
THE ANTINOMY OF THOUGHT. By _Alexander F. Shand_.
MENTAL TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS. By Prof. _J. McK. Cattell_.
DISCUSSION: 1) The Evolution of Inductive Thought. By _Hiram M.
Stanley_.
2) The Genesis of the Cognition of Physical Reality. By _Julius
Pikler_.
CRITICAL NOTICES: "Fouillée's L'Avenir de la Métaphysique fondée
sur l'Expérience"; Tarde's "Lois de l'Imitation"; Bæumker's
"Das Problem der Materie in der Griechischen Philosophie."
SOME NEWLY-DISCOVERED LETTERS OF HOBBES. By the _Editor_.
_Our Space-Consciousness._ In this article Mr. Herbert Spencer replies
to criticisms, by adherents of Kantian doctrine, of objections
contained in §§ 326-335 of _The Principles of Psychology_. He objects
that the disciples of Kant "cannot imagine how it is possible that
our space-consciousness can have arisen out of that which was not
originally a space-consciousness."
_Volkmann's Psychology._ Shows that the really important point in
Volkmann's doctrine of "psychological mechanism" is its theory of the
interaction of contemporaneous presentations, and of the existence
among them of unconscious presentations. Herbartian psychology is
strictly scientific system, but when its superfluous mechanism is
cleared away, its explanations become those of associationism.
In _The Logic of the Ethic of Evolution_, Mr. William Mitchell points
out that the two conditions of an ethical end are that it be the
motive of individual action, and that it furnish a critical system of
universal laws; and further that those conditions are fulfilled by
the end variously propounded in the ethic of evolution only if it be
represented, not as an external limit forcing itself on men, but as
presenting a more desirable character and medium to the individual than
any other. The end and means of moral progress given by the Ethic of
Evolution are perfectly true, but they do not express the essence of
the matter.
_The Antinomy of Thought._ This paper investigates an antinomy which
infects all our thought of reality that is not intuitive. The source
of error is the confusion of the judgment with the consciousness or
intuition of reality.
In the article on _Mental Tests and Measurements_, Prof. J. McK.
Cattell describes certain tests which are used in the Psychological
Laboratory of the University of Pennsylvania, with the object of
providing data for the discovery of the rules which govern the
constancy of mental processes, their interdependence, and their
variations under different circumstances.
_The Evolution of Inductive Thought._ A primary element in all
experience is its inductive quality. The struggle of existence awakens
experience to the thought-stage where it knows and directs itself,
but this very slowly. Development precedes self-development, and this
precedes a self-development which is self-conscious. This conclusion is
confirmed by some analyses of thought in the divisions of conception,
judgment, and reasoning.
_The Genesis of the Cognition of Physical Reality._ This is a criticism
by Mr. Julius Pikler of Mr. Stout's criticism on Mill, which appeared
in the January number of _Mind_. His opinion is that Mr. Strong's
statements are simply negations of Mill's theory, and as such prove
nothing.
_Some newly-discovered Letters of Hobbes._ These letters, seventeen
in number, were written to the French physician Sorbière, and have
been discovered by Dr. F. Tönnies in the National Library at Paris.
All of them, with related letters of Sorbière and others, are given at
length in the _Archiv f. Gesch. d. Phil._ iii. 58-71, 192-232, and the
first nine, which are the only ones of real importance, are set out in
this number of _Mind_. They have reference to the important period of
Hobbes's life and work that led up to _Leviathan_ in 1651. (London:
Williams & Norgate.)
REVUE PHILOSOPHIQUE. No. 175. July 1890.
CONTENTS:
L'HOMOGENEITE MORALE. By _G. Fonsegrive_.
CONTRIBUTIONS PSYCHO-PHYSIQUES A L'ETUDE ESTHETIQUE (fin). By _G.
Sorel_.
LA FOLIE DE J. J. ROUSSEAU. By _H. Joly_.
LA PERCEPTION DES LONGUEURS ET DES NOMBRES CHEZ QUELQUES PETITS
ENFANTS. By _Alfred Binet_.
ANALYSES ET COMPTES RENDUS.
M. Fonsegrive in _L'Homogénéité morale_ points out the necessity of a
proper system of education for developing in the mind of the young a
moral homogeneity to replace the heterogeneity which psychologists find
in the nature of man.
In _Contributions psycho-physiques a l'Etude esthétique_, M. G. Sorel
continues his studies on the psychology of æsthetics, and concludes
that experimental psychology and especially psycho-physics form the
base of practical æsthetics.
M. H. Joly in _La Folie de J. J. Rousseau_ points out that the problem
of the agreement of genius with insanity, so far as concerns Rousseau,
is reduced to small dimensions.
_La Perception des Longueurs et des Nombres ches quelques petits
Enfants_ by M. Alfred Binet, describes certain original experiments
which indicate that young children have an accurate perception of
differences in length, but that their perception of number is very
limited. (Paris: F. Alcan.)
REVUE PHILOSOPHIQUE. No. 176. August 1890.
CONTENTS:
LES ORIGINES DE LA TECHNOLOGIE. By _A. Espinas_.
L'INHIBITION DANS LES PHÉNOMENES DE CONSCIENCE. By _A. Binet_.
LA GÉOMÉTRIE GÉNÉRALE ET LES JUGEMENTS SYNTHÉTIQUES A PRIORI. By
_G. Lechalas_.
ANALYSES ET COMPTES RENDUS.
REVUE DES PERIODIQUES RUSSES.
CORRESPONDANCE: "Les Manuscrits de M. de Biran."
In _Les Origines de la Technologie_ M. Espinas aims at giving a
history of philosophy in action. The present paper is devoted to
physico-theological technology, and concludes with the observation
that it was undoubtedly a progress to conceive the technical arts as
a whole, as a divine gift in like manner as the fruits of the earth
and the beneficent phenomena of _nature_, since this conception by
opposition gave rise to the idea of _art_, that is of human initiative
acting differently according to diversity of circumstances.
In _L'Inhibition dans les Phénomènes de Conscience_ M. Alfred Binet
explains certain phenomena by showing that under various circumstances
certain images and sensations cannot coexist with others in the same
field of consciousness; the presence of one excludes that of another.
Antagonism and exclusion are the two simple facts which explain the
phenomena in question.
_La Géométrie Générale et les Jugements Synthétiques a priori_ is a
reply by M. G. Lechalas to an article by M. Renouvier in the _Critique
Philosophique_ criticising M. Calinon's theory of geometrical spaces
embodied in the system of "general geometry." While showing that spaces
with three dimensions are rationally included in a space with four
dimensions, M. Lechalas recognises the impossibility of establishing
such a geometry, seeing that we have no figure that answers to what a
four-dimensional space would be, as well as the purely formal character
of the presentations of non-Euclidian figures. (Paris: F. Alcan.)
ZEITSCHRIFT FÜR PSYCHOLOGIE UND PHYSIOLOGIE DER SINNESORGANE. Vol. I,
No. 2.
CONTENTS:
UEBER DIE WAHRNEHMUNG UND LOKALISATION VON SCHWEBUNGEN UND
DIFFERENZTÖNEN. By _Carl L. Schaefer_.
DIE ASSOCIATION SUCCESSIVER VORSTELLUNGEN. By _H. Münsterberg_.
BRIEFE VON G. TH. FECHNER: UEBER NEGATIVE EMPFINDUNGSWERTE.
(Concluded.) Edited by _W. Preyer_.
LITERATUR-BERICHT.
The results of Mr. Schaefer's researches are that for the localisation
of the vibrations of two tones, in the case of their unequal relative
intensity, the direction and distance of the relatively louder tone are
determinate. If the relative intensity of the primary tones is equal,
the vibrations are heard to proceed from the region between the two
sounding points. Differential tones are heard between the ears, when
the sounding sources are in the median plane; but when both primary
tones come from the same side, in or immediately before the ear on that
side; and in case of unequal intensity, when both come from different
sides, on the side of the softer sound.