CONTENTS. PART I.-ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY. Speculations on the Nature of the Universe. PAGE CHAPTER II. THE MATHEMATICIANS.—Anaximander of Miletus.-Py- thagoras.-Philosophy of Pythagoras.-Translations from Aristotle's CHAPTER III. THE ELEATICS.-Xenophanes.-The Philosophy of 87 Intellectual Crisis.-The Insufficiency of all Attempts towards a Solution of the Problem of Existence, as well as that of Knowledge, produces the Complete Adoption and Application of the Socratic Method. PLATO.-Life of Plato.-Plato's Writings: their Character, Object, and Authenticity.-Plato's Method.-Plato's Ideal Theory.-Plato's Psy- chology.-Summary of Plato's Dialectics.-Plato's Theology and Cosmology.-Plato's View of the Beautiful and the Good.-Plato's Philosophy allies itself with Faith: the Alexandrian Schools. CHAPTER I. RISE OF NEO-PLATONISM.-Alexandria.-Philo......... 307 CHAPTER II. ANTAGONISM OF CHRISTIANITY AND NEO-PLATONISM.-Plo- tinus. The Alexandrian Dialectics.-The Alexandrian Trinity.- FROM PROCLUS TO BACON.-Scholasticism.-Life of Abelard.-Philosophy CHAPTER I. DESCARTES.-Life of Descartes.-The Method of Des- cartes. Application of the Method. Is the Method True? ........ CHAPTER II. LOCKE.-Life of Locke.-On the Spirit of Locke's Wri- The Subjective Nature of Knowledge leads to Idealism. The Arguments of Idealism carried out into Skepticism. HUME.-Life of Hume.-Hume's Skepticism.-Hume's Theory of Causa- KANT.-Life of Kant.-Kant's Historical Position.-Kant's Psychology.— 630 Ontology reasserts its Claim.—The Demonstration of the Subjectivity of Knowledge once more leads to Idealism. CHAPTER I. FICHTE.-Life of Fichte.-Fichte's Historical Position. Basis of Fichte's System.-Fichte's Idealism.-Application of Fichte's CHAPTER II. SCHELLING.-Life of Schelling.-Schelling's Doctrines.. 705 CHAPTER III. HEGEL.-Life of Hegel.-Hegel's Method.-Absolute Idealism.-Hegel's Logic.-Application of the Method to Nature and CHAPTER II. PHRENOLOGY.-Life of Gall.-Gall's Historical Position. 749 ELEVENTH EPOCH. Philosophy finally relinquishing its Place in favor of Positive Science. INTRODUCTION. § I. ON THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN PHILOSOPHY AND Science. PHILOSOPHY is everywhere in Europe fallen into discredit. Once the pride and glory of the greatest intellects, and still forming an important element of liberal culture, its present decadence is attested no less by the complaints of its few followers than by the thronging ranks of its opponents. Few now believe in its large promises; still fewer devote to it that passionate patience which is devoted by thousands to Science. Every day the conviction gains strength that Philosophy is condemned, by the very nature of its impulses, to wander forever in one tortuous labyrinth within whose circumscribed and winding spaces. weary seekers are continually finding themselves in the trodden tracks of predecessors, who, they know, could find no exit. Philosophy has been ever in movement, but the movement has been circular; and this fact is thrown into stronger relief by contrast with the linear progress of Science. Instead of perpetually finding itself, after years of gigantic endeavor, returned to the precise point from which it started, Science finds itself year by year, and almost day by day, advancing step by step, each accumulation of power adding to the momentum of its progress; each evolution, like the evolutions of organic development, bringing with it a new functional superiority, which in its turn becomes the agent of higher developments. Not a fact is discovered but has its bearing on the whole body of doctrine; not a mechanical improvement in the construction of instruments but opens fresh sources of discovery. Onward, and forever onward, mightier and forever mightier, rolls this wondrous tide of discovery, and the "thoughts of men are widened by the process of the suns." While the first principles of Philosophy are to this day as much a matter of dispute as they were two thousand years ago, the first principles of Science are securely established, |